Flying High
by Yugismpuzzle
Summary: FINAL CHAPTER UP! AU Van has a crush on a commoner, Hitomi Kanzaki, the village outcast. He wants to tell her what he feels, but he's afraid of what will happen when she finds out he's a Draconian. Allen bashing! Who doesn't love that? R
1. Let's Make A Date

**A/N: Hi everyone. I'm back with another fan fic. I hope you like it. I got this idea while doing my CAT6 Test and my scratch paper turned into this story. Unlike my first story (which I will finish), I have no idea how this fic is going to turn out so if any of you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. If not, I will just make it up as I go along. Hope you all like it. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer****: _*Yugismpuzzle is strapped to a lie detector machine. Van is doing the questioning*_ **

**"Do you own Escaflowne?"**

**"Yes!" _*lie detector machine blows up*_ "Hey Van! Look! Now your face matches your hair!"**

**-___-**

**Chapter One****: Let's Make A Date**

Van walked down the streets of Fanelia as the morning sun rose. This was his favorite time of day. Hardly anyone in the streets so he didn't have to worry about girls pouncing on him, even though he gets pounced on everyday by Merle.

_"Just don't walk in the streets if it bothers you so much." _His brother Folken had told him for the hundredth time. 

But to Van, the girl factor was a risk he took almost every day. Anything to get out of that stuffy castle. The sun quickly rose and people started coming out of their homes.

_'I'd better get out of here before the crowds come.'_ He took a left hand turn down an ally and eventually found himself at the bottom of a grassy hill with an old, tall tree sitting at the top. _'I'll bet that you can get a great view of the sunrise from up there.'_ He began walking towards the top of the hill, his shoes squeaking slightly against the foot long grass. When he reached the top, he stared in awe at the size of the tree. It was huge. The top of the tree seemed to touch the sky. Van wondered why he never noticed this tree before. _'Probably because it looks like a normal tree at the bottom of the hill.' _Van thought. He looked down at where he came from and saw a small group of women dressed in elegant gowns and wearing many pieces of expensive jewelry. _'Uh oh. I got to hide.' Van leaned his back against the tree trunk the shadows of the tree concealing him. Once the group of chatting women left, he breathed a sigh. _

"Every time…" Van said to himself.

_*Flashback*_

"Every time I go out into the market, I get bombarded by women." Van complained to his brother, Folken. "Why can't they just leave me alone?"

Folken chuckled at his younger brother. "Because you are the only eligible prince around for miles who's at the right age to marry. Speaking of which…"

"I know, I know. I've got to pick a bride…" Van said, his voice sounding mellow.

"It's not that hard to pick one you know. There are hundreds of beautiful girls in Fanelia. You just have to pick one."

"But I don't want to marry a girl simply because she's beautiful. I want a girl who's smart and can think for herself."

Folken sighed. "Who would have thought I would have a hopeless romantic for a brother."

Van scowled and threw a nearby pillow at his brother's face.

"Hey!"

_*End Flashback*_

_'Maybe my brother is right.'_ Van thought as he slid down and sat at the base of the tree trunk. _There just aren't any smart women out there. Smart _eligible_ women out there. Maybe I should take Folkens advice and just pick one…' _Van was jolted away from his thoughts by a large object hitting him on the head.

"Ow! Hey!" Van looked at the object that had bounced off of his head and landed in his lap. "What the… a Piscus?" 

Suddenly, a voice called out from above him. "Hello? Is someone down there?" Van looked up and saw a girl, sitting high up in the tree branches.

"Miss, did you drop this?" Van called out while holding the Piscus up in the air for the girl to see. 

The girl leaned over a tree branch to get a better view. "Yes. How did you find that?"

"It landed on my head." Van said with a smile.

"Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry. Hold on, I'm coming down."

Van grinned and looked at the sky, the sun had fully risen. _'Darn, I missed it.' _A second later, the girl jumped down the last tree branch and landed right next to him on her hands and knees, like a cat. 

"Wow. That was fast. How did you get down so fast? You were near the top of the tree just a second ago." 

The girl smiled kindly at him. "I've been climbing this tree since I was very young. I could climb it and get back down just as fast, blindfolded."

"Seriously?"

"Yup. I even tried it once a couple months ago."

"And you did it?"

"Sure did. Could I have my Piscus back?" the girl asked with her hand outstretched. 

"Oh! Sure. Here you go." Van gave the Piscus back to the girl and she placed it in a large bag that was hung over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry it hit you in the head. I had a bit of a clumsy moment up there." She said with a slight smile.

"That's all right." Van said politely. "What were you doing up there, anyway?" Van could see the girls cheeks redden slightly before answering. 

"Well, I was watching the sun rise. You get a really good view of the whole town if you climb high enough."

"Really? I'd like to see that."

"Well then, come on!" the girl said as a mischievous smile crossed her features. She grabbed both of Van's hands and pulled him up to his feet. "Upsidaisy. Now, first you've got to…"

Before Van could find out exactly what he was supposed to do, the sound of a crowd of girls, giggling a little too much reached their ears. They both looked down the see a large pack of elegantly dressed girls, chatting away madly. 

"Ugh…everyday…" the girl beside Van said with disgust in her voice. "Everyday those girls parade around the village, wearing the most expensive dresses and jewelry they own. Then at around lunchtime, they all head over to the castle to try and get a glimpse of Prince Van."

_'What? But _I'm _Van. Doesn't this girl realize…'_

"They're all convinced that someday, Prince Van is going to come down from his palace and ask them all to marry him. It's sick. I tried to talk them out of it, but no…"

"What do you mean? Do you know those girls?"

"Unfortunately yes." She said with an exasperated sigh. She pointed at one of the girls. "You see that girl with the red hair and the lilac gown? That's Yukari. I don't know why she hangs out with them. She already has a boyfriend." 

"You two friends?"

"We used to be. Anyway, we had better get up in this tree before they spot us and start going all goo goo gah gah over you."

"Why would they do that?"

"They always do that when they spot a cute guy." She said in a rush before disappearing into the branches of the tree before Van could say another word.

"Hey, miss, wait…" Van called out while grabbing the nearest tree branch and hoisting himself onto it.

"Come on slowpoke…" came a delighted voice from above. Van struggled to keep up with the girls' insane pace, but he couldn't. After a while, he couldn't even see her anymore.

"Miss, where are you?" he yelled.

"Right here!" Van looked up to see a pair of emerald eyes only inches from his face. She was hanging up side down and grinning from ear to ear. "And don't call me 'miss.' My name's Hitomi." And then she disappeared again. "Come on, we're almost there!" 

"Almost there?.." Van looked down to check his progress and almost lost his grip when he saw how high he was. He wasn't afraid of heights, after all, he was a Draconian_, but no one was to know about that_. He was just surprised that he was that high up in the tree already. Turning his gaze upward, he continued his accent. After a few moments, the branches around him thinned out and he could see the girl, Hitomi, sitting on a branch, her back resting against the trunk.

"You finally made it." Hitomi said with a dazzling smile. Van sat himself on a nearby tree branch beside Hitomi and took a rest. Using his gloved hand, he wiped off a few beads of sweat off of his brow. "Are you thirsty?" 

"Yeah, a little." Hitomi swung the bag off of her shoulder, and pulled out a Piscus and tossed it to Van.

"Enjoy." She said after pulling out a Piscus for herself. Van ripped off the top of his Piscus and caught the scent of the slightly sour liquid.

"Do you have…" Before Van could finish his question, Hitomi held out a straw and Van took it. "Thanks."

"No problem. You know it's a shame you missed the sunrise. You can see all of Fanelia on a clear day like this. I may come back tonight to watch the sun set if the weather keeps up." 

"Mind of I come back to join you?" Van asked without looking at her.

Van didn't notice Hitomi blush slightly before answering. "No, I don't mind. But I still don't know your name."

"My name is Van…" he said without thinking.

Hitomi nearly fell out of the tree when he said that. "WHAT?! Van? Prince Van? _You're Prince Van?"_

_'Smooth move Van. You finally meet an interesting girl who treats you like a person and not like royalty, and you let slip that you're a prince. You idiot.' _

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry. I didn't realize it was you. If I'd of known I never would have…"

"Please, don't apologize." He said, waving his hands in the air and almost losing his balance. "It was my fault entirely. I should have told you who I was."

"You mean you did that on purpose? Why?"

"I was afraid if I told you who I was, you would start acting like those girls down there and treat me…"

"…like a prince?" she finished. 

"Yeah. I was enjoying your company and I didn't want you to start acting different."

"Oh." After a long silence, Van shifted positions and prepared to leave _after thoroughly embarrassing himself_.

"Well, I'll leave you alone then…"

"No, wait!" Hitomi reached out for his arm before thinking. As soon as she touched him, she retracted her arm and stared at the ground apologetically. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"That's alright, but I really should be going." Van began his decent then paused and looked back up at Hitomi. "Will I see you tonight?"

"What?"

"Tonight. You said that you might come back to watch the sunset. Can I meet you here?"

"Um…yeah…I'll be here."

"Great! It's a date then." Van smiled and then started climbing down the tree. It wasn't until he was out of the tree and walking back to the palace that something hit him. 

_'Did I just ask that girl on a date?'_

Meanwhile, up in a tree, Hitomi was struck with a thought. 

_'Did I just agree to go on a date with Prince Van?'_

**A/N: That's it, for now. So what do you all think? If you like, I will continue with it. If you hate it, stop reading, and I'll continue it anyway cause I like the way this story is coming out. But if you want an update soon, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. They give me inspiration and boost my moral. Also, read my other story, which I will finish eventually. Now, REVIEW or I will be VERY UPSET! **


	2. Meet Komali

**A/N: WOW! I got so many reviews for only one chapter. I'm glad you all liked it. You have no idea how happy I was when I checked my reviews and saw how many there were. Want to know how happy I was? I was so happy, that I immediately started writing this chapter! See what happens when you REVIEW!!!! Anyway, I hope you like this next chapter. Enjoy! **

**P.S.******

**Usually, I respond to my reviewers, but there were way too many, so here is a HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!!!**

**P.P.S**

**Normally I update chapters a lot sooner than this, but finals are slowly approaching at my school, and my teachers all seem to have the same idea to help us study, they all gave me a ton of homework. I didn't have very much time to write, so I apologize. Just to ease everyone's fears, I WILL FINISH THIS STORY, sooner or later (hopefully sooner…). **

**Disclaimer****: No I don't know Escaflowne. Normally, I try to find something really funny to say but I can't do that now. I'm really hyper because I just found out something really cool. Ok. I was channel surfing after school, not really looking at the TV, when all of the sudden I hear Van's voice on the TV. I jump up and go back a few channels and I find a cartoon based on X-Men (the _new_ cartoon, not the old one), and the voice playing Scott (Cyclops) is none other than VAN!!! I SCREAMED "OH MY GOD! IT'S VAN! THAT'S _VAN'S_ VOICE!" Ok, so maybe you all knew that already but I just found out and I am so excited. I may even start watching that show, just to hear his voice. How pathetic am I? **

**Chapter Two****: Meet Komali**

Van was strolling the corridors of the palace, still in shock about what he had just done.

_'I just asked that girl on a date! Am I going crazy?'_

Van turned a corner and soon came to a large wooden door with a dragon engraved on it. He pushed the door open and found his brother Folken sitting on a couch, a drink in his hand. He looked up from his steaming mug and smiled at his younger brother.

"You're back later than usual. Did you let yourself get caught at the market again?" he teased. Van walked over to a table and busied himself in making a drink.

"No I didn't _get caught." Van said in a mocking voice, which made his brother laugh. _

"Well, what happened then?" Folken persisted.

"I met someone." Van said quietly while avoiding his brother's gaze. 

"Really? Who?" Folken asked before taking a gulp of his drink.

"…a girl." Immediately, the contents of Folken's mouth went spraying everywhere. He slammed his drink down on the coffee table and started choking. Van rushed over and started patting Folken on the back. Once he started breathing normally, Van bent down and looked at his brother in the face. "Are you ok?" 

"_YOU MET A _GIRL_?" Folken shouted in disbelief. Van rolled his eyes and walked back to fix his drink._

"It's not that big of a deal."

"Not that big of a deal? Are you kidding? This is a huge deal!" Folken fussed while waving his arms in the air like a maniac.

"Would you keep it down? You're going to alert all of Gaea if you keep raving like that." Van hissed as he finished fixing his drink. Before he could even take a sip, Folken grabbed his arm and pushed him over to the sofa. "Hey, watch it! You almost made me spill my drink." A practically bouncing Folken sat beside his younger brother and demanded that Van tell him every detail. 

"You know, you're starting to act like Millerna."

"I'll ignore that, for now. So, spill it. Who is she?"

"A girl."

"No kidding. What's her name?"

"Hitomi."

"Hitomi…" Folken repeated, waiting for Van to continue.

"Hitomi. Her name's Hitomi!"

"You mean you don't even know her last name?" he said in disbelief.

Looking embarrassed, Van said, "Uh…no."

Folken sighed. "You're such a dope."

"Hey, we just met, ok? Give me a break!"

"Where?"

"You want to know where to give me a break?" Van said, confused.

"No! Where-Did-You-Meet-Her!" Folken yelled in Van's ear.

"In a tree." He shouted back, leaning away from his brother.

"A tree?"

"Yes."

Folken paused before speaking, a sly smile on his lips. "Van, are you _sure that your new _girlfriend_ isn't a monkey?" _

"Oh course I'm sure she's not a monkey. And she's _not_ my girlfriend." He said, a little louder than he intended to.

"Oh, so you like this girl."

"I didn't say that!" Van could feel his cheeks burning up.

"You _really like this girl." _

"We just met, ok? We climbed a tree and watched the sunrise. That's all!"

"So she likes you back. This is good!"

"Oh, just give it a rest, will you?"

"Never!"

Van made a face. "Ok, now you're really acting like Millerna."

Folken scowled. "I'll ignore that, again. Come on, do you like the girl or not?"

"She's ok. I don't know enough about her. But I will. I'm going to see her again tonight."

"Oh my God! Van Fanel has a date with a _girl_!"

"Hey, at least _I don't have a date with a monkey!" And Van ran out of the room before Folken could grab him. _

"Hey, get back here!"

                                                * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

It was an hour before sunset and Van was pacing in his room, clothes strewn all over the place. All awhile, he kept chanting the same thing too himself, over and over again.

"What to wear…what to wear…" Van paused his pacing for a moment and looked out the window and sighed. "I should be heading over there soon, but what am I supposed to wear?" He walked over to his bed and started rummaging through a small pile of clothes, occasionally throwing something over his shoulder.

"…too fancy…too fluffy…too…why do I even have this?" Each piece of clothing received a remark before it was thrown over his shoulder. Eventually, he ran out of clothes to throw and Van was getting frustrated. A few minutes later, he stormed out of his room after deciding to go as he was. Van smiled to himself as he thought.

_'This must be what women go through every day.'_

                                                * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Van had to run and duck through ally ways to avoid being seen by the people in the market. At one point, he almost ran head first into his "fan club" but managed to get away without anyone noticing. It took him a while, but Van eventually found the passage he used to find the hill with the tree at the top. 

"Finally…" he whispered to himself. Van couldn't help but grin as he made his way up the steep hill. His smile faded a little when he reached the base of the tree and found that Hitomi wasn't there. Confused, he looked forwards the setting sun. 

_'If Hitomi doesn't come soon, she's going to miss it…'_

"Hello down there!"

Van's heart skipped a beat when he heard a familiar voice above him.

"Hurry up or you'll miss it!" Van looked up but he couldn't see Hitomi through the branches, but the voice was undoubtedly hers, so he started climbing. For the second time climbing this tree, he was definitely getting better at it. He was climbing it a lot faster than he did this morning, however, his heart was pounding twice as hard as before.

_'What is wrong with me? Why am I so excited all of the sudden?'_ he thought. 

In no time at all, Van reached the same spot where the two of them sat that morning. Hitomi was even sitting on the same branch, staring out into space, the sunset reflecting off of her green eyes, giving them an eerie glow. 

_'Alright Van, stop staring at her like that!' _He thought to himself. He hoisted himself onto the branch right next to Hitomi and sat down, resting his back against the tree trunk. 

"You're right on time. The sun should be setting any minute now." 

"Hitomi, thanks for being here."

"Why wouldn't I be here?"

"I was afraid I might have scared you off after you found out I was a prince."

"Oh, well, even if you had scared me off, I'd still be right here."

"Really? Why?"

"I'm supposed to meet Komali at sunset. He should be here soon. Maybe you'll be able to meet him, if he doesn't scare _you_ off." 

_'Komali? Does Hitomi already have a boyfriend? And why do I even care? I just met this girl. It's not like we're a couple after one meeting. But who's Komali? Why would he scare me off? Or is that just a joke? Ok Van, you're thinking too much again, stop it…'_

"Hitomi, who is Komali?"

"You'll see, if he gets here." Hitomi looked at him with a mischievous smile on her face. The kind of smile that says, 'I know something you don't know.' 

"Oh…well, ok." Afterwards, Van couldn't think of anything else to say to Hitomi. He just sat there, staring off into the sunset, his thoughts consuming him. _'What if Komali is her boyfriend and he comes up here and sees me and thinks I'm making a move on his girl? And why would he scare me off? Maybe he's a wrestler. Maybe he's really macho. And if he is, and if he doesn't realize who I am, and if he thinks I'm making a move on Hitomi, he'll kick me out of the tree. It is a long way down…wait a minute…what is that?' _

"What is that?" Van said out loud. Hitomi had been fiddling around with something in her bag. When Van spoke, she looked up and followed his gaze towards the sunset. 

Silhouetted against the setting sun, was the dark outline of what seemed to be an aircraft, except that this aircraft seemed to fold itself down the middle every now and then, and then right itself again. As the "aircraft" got closer to them, Van realized that it wasn't an aircraft. It was a bird. A big bird. A _very big bird, actually. _

Hitomi stood up on the branch she was sitting on and walked toward the unidentified flying object (ha ha…a UFO!). 

"Hitomi, be careful!" Van tried, too late, to grab Hitomi and prevent her from walking too far onto the branch. He expected her to lose her balance at any time and fall down, but she didn't. She walked along the small, creaking branch as if it was solid ground, and Van was amazed. But all awhile, Hitomi's gaze never left the object flying in the sky.

"Hitomi, what is that?" Van asked. He stared at her for a moment before a look of surprise and understanding hit Hitomi's face.

"It's Komali!" she screamed in a rush. 

"What?"

"Komali. It's Komali. He's here." Hitomi immediately started jumping down the branches excitedly. "Come on!" 

"Hitomi, wait up!" Van followed Hitomi as fast as he could, but her speed was incredible. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought that she had just jumped to the bottom. 

"Come on, hurry up!" She yelled.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Once he reached the last few branches, he jumped the rest of the way down, landing cat-like on the grass right next to Hitomi. Before Van could catch his breath, she was off running towards the object in the sky, which was flying directly towards her, and getting larger by the second! It _was an eagle, just _bigger. _Van felt the tremor in the ground as the creature landed heavily several feet away from Hitomi. She started laughing hysterically before jumping up and wrapping her arms around the giant bird's neck. All a while, each of its 20 foot wings never retracted. They were outstretched in a semi-circle and seemed to shied Hitomi from anything that might want to harm her. The creature's eyes rolled into the back of its head and seemed to enjoy Hitomi's embrace. Van finally got the courage to stand up and his shoes squeaked against the damp grass. This small sound was enough to alert the creature of Van's presence and it opened one of its fierce orange eyes and kept watch on the unknown visitor. The creature seemed to consider him for a moment before finally retracting its protective wings. At this time, Hitomi let go of the creature's neck and turned to Van and beckoned him to come closer. _

Van took a deep breath to calm his racing heart and slowly walked to Hitomi. He noticed that the creature's eyes never left him but all a while, Hitomi was just smiling. She just stood there, wearing a dazzling smile. And as long as she kept smiling, he wouldn't think about the giant creature he was also walking towards. Before he knew it, he was standing within arms reach of the giant bird. 

"You did good." Hitomi whispered. "Prince Van, meet Komali. Komali, meet Prince Van."

"Um…Hi." The creature merely blinked. Hitomi giggled softly.

"He likes you. I'm surprised."

"What makes you so sure he likes me?"

"Go ahead and pet him." He was a bit confused at this request but he extended his hand and caressed the glossy feathers on the creature's neck. Komali's eyes again rolled into the back of his head and Van distinctly heard a low grumbling. Van smiled. Komali was actually enjoying it. "See, he does like you. If he didn't like you, you'd be dead."

"Oh. Ok." Van wasn't sure if he was comforted by this fact, but he kept stroking the bird's neck. _'Come to think of it, I kind of like him too…' "So what exactly is he? I've never seen a bird this big before."_

"Komali is a Dragonbird. Once upon a time, there used to be hundreds of them, but they are almost extinct now. I found Komali in an egg when I was young. I took care of him, raised him, and now he is my very best friend."

_'Well, now I know that Komali isn't Hitomi's boyfriend. Not that it mattered…And I have never heard of a Dragonbird before now. I'll have to ask Folken when I return to the castle.'  _

"I'm so glad you're back, Komali." Hitomi placed each of her hands on Komali's head and lowered it so she could kiss his beak. "Tomorrow's the big day. I want you to head on home and I'll see you in the morning, ok?" Komali nuzzled his head against Hitomi's before receiving an extra hug. 

Van gave him an extra pat. "It was nice meeting you Komali." The Dragonbird turned towards Van and did something very unexpected. He nuzzled Van's face in the same manner he did to Hitomi. Both Van and Hitomi started laughing. Komali spread its wings and leaped into the air, the force of the wind almost knocking Van over. The two of them watched as Komali flew away and out of sight.

"I told you he likes you."

"Yeah, I kind of like him too."

**A/N: Ok, so there wasn't a lot of V/H stuff, but there will be. I just needed to introduce Komali. AND ISN'T HE SO COOL?! I WANT A DRAGONBIRD!!!! *sob* But I can't have one. He is only a figment of my imagination. *sigh***

**Well, that took a really long time for me to write now, didn't it? I'm really sorry about that. I haven't had a lot of time to write lately. School finals are approaching and I have had a lot of homework. But if you are patient, and you bear with me, I will get this story written. I promise you that. I'm not the kind of authors out there who start a fic but don't finish it. I'm not that cruel, unlike other authors out there. By the way, I got the idea for Komali's name from "The Legend of Zelda: the Windwaker." I've been playing that game lately and it's AWESOME! I highly recommend playing it. There is a character in the game by the name of Komali and, you guessed it, he can fly, wings and everything. He is really awesome but you don't get to see him much in the game, you mostly see another flying character by the name of Medli, but I wanted the Dragonbird to be a male so, I couldn't give him a girls name now could I? Anyway, the next chapter may take a long time too, but I pray that you all have more patience than I do, because personally, I hate waiting for updates on my favorite fics. Grrr……Any who, REVIEW and tell me what you think! **

**P.S.**

**If you want me to let you know of upcoming chapters, give me your e-mail address and I'll let you know of an update! **


	3. A Small History Lesson

**A/N: Ok, got to write fast if I want to post this chapter by tonight so, I can't say much except, read and review. By the way, thank you all for reviewing. It made me sooooo happy!!!!**

**Disclaimer: I'm too lazy to say "I don't own Escaflowne" …………………wait a minute…..**

**Chapter Three: A Small History Lesson**

It was a typical Fanelian morning. The sun was shining brightly on the land as people busied too and fro in the market. Normally, Van would be outside, enjoying the sites, or up in a tree with a certain green eyed girl. **(A/N: Why does that sound like a song? "Green Eyed Girl" Is that a song?...) **But no. Van was inside the "stuffy castle" as he liked to put it, even though the castle wasn't "stuffy." It was just an excuse to get out of there. But this particular morning, he was in the library looking up information on "Dragonbirds." So far, however, he wasn't having much luck. And Van had been in the library for hours…

On a table in the library were dozens of books but none of them had any information on Dragonbirds. Oh sure, there were plenty of books on Dragons, but so far, there were no books on Dragonbirds. At one point, Van was filled with false hope when he saw the words "Dragon" and "bird" in the same sentence, but it just went on to say how one type of land dragon _eats_ birds to survive. Van was just about to give up his search when he heard the library door open.

"Van, are you in here?"

It was Folken.

"I'm under here." Van called out, wearing a smirk.

"Under where?" he said without thinking. 

"Ha! I made you say underwear!" 

"Very funny, Van." Folken said sarcastically. "Seriously, where are you?"

"I'm under the mountain of books."

Folken easily spotted the "mountain" of books. He walked over to the table Van was at and picked up the top book labeled "Flying Dragons." He took a glance around him and realized that all of the books were about dragons.

"Um, let me guess. You're looking for information on dragons?"

"No, actually. I'm trying to find information on Dragonbirds."

"Dragonbirds?"

"Yeah. But this stupid library doesn't seem to have anything to show that they actually exist." Van bashed his head onto the table to make his point.

Folken laughed at his younger brother's frustration. "Well, that's because you've been looking in the wrong section." Folken walked to a different section of the library while Van screamed something incoherently at the table and books around him, as if they understood his frustration. 

Folken came back about a minute later with a large leather bound book under his arm. Van was still muttering something at the books around him but Folken couldn't understand what he was saying because the table muffled his voice.

"Quit your complaining." Folken gently taped the back of Van's head with the book he carried. Van slowly looked up at his brother and then at the book he carried.

"_Creatures of Atlantis?" _

"Yup."

"Why would Dragonbirds be in a book about Atlantis?"

Instead of answering, Folken pulled up a chair and sat by his brother. Van cleared some books away to give his brother some room. Folken opened the dusty book and flipped through several pages before stopping at a particular picture. Van's jaw dropped at what he saw. A _Draconian_ and a _Dragonbird flying side by side. _

"Dragonbirds are believe to have originated from Atlantis, just like the Draconian's."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Where are they now?"

"As far as I know, they're extinct."

"What?" Van did a double take. 

"Their species died out along with the rest of our kind. You see Van, Draconians and Dragonbirds were linked somehow. They befriended each other and lived in harmony."

_*Flashback*_

_…"Komali likes you. I'm surprised."…_

_*End Flashback*_

"To anyone else, however, the Dragonbird was a fierce killer. "The Shark of the Sky" as the humans called it. Dragonbirds used to be well known for hunting humans and their cattle."

"But how did they tell the Draconians from the humans?"

"It is believed that they have some magic in their veins. They used this magic to tell a human from a Draconian and to prevent people from seeing it."

"They can do that? Prevent people from seeing it?"

"Well, it's not like blinding people from seeing them, it's more like, wiping the memory from their minds. If someone managed to spot a Dragonbird, they wouldn't think twice about it. To them, it's just another bird. Understand?"

"I think so. But why did they only befriend Draconians?"

"Nobody knows. But most people think it was because of their shared love of the sky."  

                                      * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

After Van had thanked Folken for the lesson on the origins of the Dragonbird's, he left the library and started to head outside to the front courtyard. Before he got anywhere near it however, a certain pink haired cat girl jumped on his back and screamed in his ear.

"Lord Van!" 

"Hey Merle." The cat girl dislodged herself from Van's neck and ran around to face Van with her big blue eyes.

"Lord Van, Allen has arrived from Asturia."

"Allen!? He's here?"

"Yeah, he's at the front of the palace."

Without another word, the two of them ran to the front entrance. Next to Balgus, Allen was Van's favorite person to spar with. Even though Van rarely ever won a fight against the knight, it was good practice and good competition. The last time Van saw Allen was almost 6 months ago, and Van was eager to see if he had improved in his fighting.  

Once Van reached the front doors, he skidded to a halt and pulled the door open. Next he had a long hallway to run through until he was officially outside. Somehow, his brother had beaten Van to the entrance.

_'I'm going to have to ask him how he does that.'_

Van reached the end of the hallway, Merle running on all fours and still treading his heals, and started jumping down the stairs. About halfway down, he stopped and looked up. Allen had just entered the courtyard riding on a horse, another horse following closely behind. Van ran down the rest of the stairs and finally stopped once he reached the bottom. Merle sat to the left of him and started giving herself a manicure. Allen pulled the reins on his horse and dismounted. He bowed on one knee, as was costume, and then stood up. 

"It's been a long time, hasn't it Van."

"A bit too long, Allen. What do you say we see how much we've improved over these last six months?" Van said eagerly. 

"I'd love to Van, but I have a delivery to make first. What do you say you tag along and then we can get to our match?"

"Deal." Van ran up to the second horse that Allen had brought with him and mounted it, Allen doing the same with his. The two of them reared their horses around and darted off towards the exit. 

                                      * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

"So what is this stuff?" Van asked, pointing to the contents of the wagon Allen was driving.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. It's some sort of leathery fabric that's supposed to be supper strong and light. Dryden tried to sell it but nobody bought it. Nobody saw a use for it."

"So why are we carting it around?"

"Because one such person did want it, and because Dryden couldn't make a profit out of it anyway, he's giving it away. And since the person who wants it lives here in Fanelia, and I was on my way over here anyway, and I know the person who wanted it, I offered to be the delivery boy." 

"Oh, makes since." Van took another look behind him at the large roll of fabric. "I still don't see what it could be used for though." He said to himself. 

A while later, Allen pulled the reins on the two horses to stop. 

"We're here."

They had reached a small house that looked as if one, maybe two people lived in it and behind it was a large gray barn house. 

"I'll see if she's home." Allen hopped out of the cart and walked toward the front door to the small house.

"_She?" _

Allen knocked on the door several times but he didn't get an answer. He turned around and shouted to Van, "I'm going to check the barn. Stay there, ok?"

Allen walked around the house and towards the large barn doors. After knocking several times, the large metallic doors opened far enough to allow a girl to step through, but Van couldn't see who she was. The two of them exchanged a few words and then they started walking back to the cart, the girl following directly behind Allen. Van didn't want to seem like he was eavesdropping so he returned facing forward. Once the two of them got closer to the cart, Van could hear what they were saying. 

"So what are you going to do with this fabric?"

"It's a surprise."

"Oh come one, what is it?"

"I already told you Allen, I'm not going to show it to you until I'm finished."

_Something about that voice seemed familiar…_

"Oh please? Just a little hint?"

"No, you'll have to wait."

"You can be really mean, you know that Hitomi?"

_'What?!__ It's her?'_

Van immediately jumped up and turned around to face the two people behind the cart, and sure enough…

"Hitomi?"

Hitomi and Allen both looked at Van in disbelief. 

"Van! Is that you?"

Allen was now very confused and looking from Van to Hitomi to Van again. "Wait a minute, you two know each other."

Van smiled. "We've met. It's nice to see you again, Hitomi."

"Nice to see you too." She said with a small nod.

Allen decided to change the subject. "Well since you two already know each other, how about Van and I carry this thing inside for you?"

"Um, ok. I'll go and open the door." 

Van climbed out of the cart and both he and Allen carried the roll of fabric, which was indeed incredibly light, over towards the barn doors. Hitomi ran ahead to the barn and grabbed one of the doors by its handle. Using all of her body weight, she slid the metallic door as far as it would go and then did the same to the other door until the insides of the large building were visible. 

"You can set that over there." Hitomi pointed to a long metal workshop table that ran along one of the walls of the barn. With a small heave, Allen and Van threw the fabric onto the table and then brushed their hands off. Van looked around at the other contents of the building. Besides the obvious stuff a barn would hold such as farming equipment and hay, there was one thing that definitely stood out, but because of the black tarp that covered it, Van didn't know what it was.

"What's under there, Hitomi?"

Again, Van could see the familiar mischievous grin on her face. "I'll tell you what I've told Allen, It's a surprise. Until I'm finished building it, nobody is going to see it." Hitomi crossed her arms to make her point. Van didn't peruse the issue further but he did hear Allen sigh in annoyance. 

"Yeah, she won't even tell her _friends."_

"Nope."

Allen sighed again, "Oh forget it, I give up."

"Hey Hitomi, how long until it's finished?"

"Finally, a question I can answer! Well, it should be done in a couple of hours. After you two leave of course."

Taking the hint, Van smiled and started to make his way back to the wagon. "It was nice seeing you again Hitomi."

"You too, Van."

Van looked back and saw that Allen wasn't coming. "Hey Allen, come on."

"I'll be there in just a second Van." When Allen said this, he didn't even look at Van. The whole time, he kept his eyes on Hitomi, and as Van walked away, Allen walked closer to Hitomi. Van sneaked glances behind him every now and then. What he saw almost made him trip. Allen was in very close proximity to Hitomi and she was looking nervous, all awhile, Allen never took his eyes off of her. Immediately, Van looked away and stared strait at the wagon.

_'Oh my gosh…I can't believe it…Allen and…Hitomi? No way…'_

Van hopped into the front of the cart. After a few minutes, he looked behind him, expecting the worse, but instead Allen was on his way back to the wagon, looking a bit disappointed. Once Allen got into the cart, Van played dumb.

_'I've got to know for sure…'_

"So what was that all about?"

Allen exhaled deeply, "I asked if she wanted to go out tonight."

"What did she say?"

"She said she had plans with someone else. Honestly, I don't know why I keep trying. I think she may already have a boyfriend."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, she always seems to have plans with the same person."

"Really? Who?"

"I don't know, some guy called Komali…"

_'Yes..'_

**A/N: Ha ha, no fluff in this chapter. Sorry, but hey, keep in mind that all this time, Van wasn't sure if Hitomi had a boyfriend or not. And now he knows the answer. Depending on what I write next, there may by V/H fluff in the next chapter or the one after that. I'm not sure, but there WILL BE FLUFF. I LOVE FLUFF. FLUFF, FLUFF, FLUFF, FLUFF, FLUFF……Ok, you get the picture. Oh, by the way, I figured out what song I was thinking of. "Brown Eyed Girl" Hey, I was close! I'm afraid I have some bad news. I'm going off to ****Utah**** for a week so it's going to be a long time before my next update, so bear with me. I'm planning to continue writing on paper, but it will take me a while to get it all typed up. Sorry. But rest assured, I will not quit writing this story! I'm having way too much fun writing this one to quit. Oh, and I'm not going to stop writing my other fic either. I'm just a little stuck right now so my writing has gotten a bit slow, but I will update! I promise! I just don't know when. *dodges a dozen tomatoes* HA HA, YOU MISSED- *tomato hits Yugismpuzzle in the face*……spoke too soon. Anyway, REVIEW and tell me what you think!**


	4. Competition

**AN: Hello Everyone! dodges tomato Hey, what's with the tomato's? dodges another tomato is this about me taking too long to write this chapter? runs and ducks for cover as a hundred tomato's fly through the air Look, I'm really sorry. I just didn't get around to writing until a few days ago! more tomato's You don't need to make me feel worse than I already do. I just finished reading Harry Potter, and you know what? My favorite character died! sob So, I'm a bit depressed right now. That may be why this chapter is so depressing. flying tomato But don't worry, there is FLUFF to come! I love FLUFF! **

**FLUFF FLUFF FLUFF! **

**FLUFFY! **

**FLUFFYNESS! **

**FLUFFED! **

**FLUFFED WITH STUFF! **

**FLUFFEDNESS! **

**Weeeeeeeeeeeeee……………………..llama llama llama! **

**Hee...hee…..I haven't' eaten in a long time, and if I don't eat, I get HYPER! MUAHAHAHA…………..HA!**

**girl is running around in circles throwing cotton balls everywhere**

**I LOVE FLUFF!**

**mother walks into room**

**Uh oh…I better just post this chapter…and…um…clean all this up…yeah…looks around her and cotton balls are up to her waist **

**Heh heh…nervous laugh**

**Disclaimer: Hello everyone! Since I have energy today, and perhaps too much of it, I am actually writing a disclaimer. Isn't it amazing?**

**Today, I have Spinel Sun from Cardcaptor Sakura to do the disclaimer. **

**little black talking teddy bear raises his paw _Hello_.**

**So, Spinel, Do I own Escaflowne?**

**_Of course not_. **

**Excellent answer…Cerberus comes flying in carrying a large basket of cupcakes**

**Cerberus: Oh Spinel!**

_Uh oh…_**Spinel attempts to fly away**

**Cerberus: Oh, no you don't! Cerberus grabs Spinel by the wing and throws him down on the table Let's try this again, does she own Escaflonwe?**

_NO she doesn't! _**Cerberus holds up basket of cupcakes in the air threateningly **

**Cerberus: What did you say?**

_No, she doesn't own Escaflowne!_

**Cerberus: clearly ticked off, Cerberus grabs a cupcake out of the basket That's it, you asked for it! Cerberus shoves cupcake into Spinel's mouth. Spinel swallows and his head turns pink Now, does Yugismpuzzle own Escaflowne? **

**gasp **_No…she doesn't!_

**Cerberus: Oh, okay. rummages through basket. Pulls out a cupcake twice the size of Spinel's body Ahhhh……..the BIG one! Now, does Yugismpuzzle own Escaflowne now? **

**Cerberus tosses cupcake at Spinel. The cupcake doesn't quite fit so Cerberus proceeds to jump on the cupcake like a trampoline, forcing the cupcake into Spinel's mouth. Spinel swallows and his whole body turns pink and begins to float So, does she own Escaflowne?**

**Spinel has a dreamy expression on his face **_Yeah…she owns Escaflowne…she owns everything…all hail Yugismpuzzle…_

**Yugismpuzzle: sweat drop Spinel and sugar do not mix. As soon as he gets sugar in his system, he gets all floaty. sigh Oh well, on with chapter four!**

**Chapter Four: Competition**

"Well, Van, I'm impressed. You've greatly improved." Allen commented after being beaten for the third time in a row.

"Thanks Allen. You're not too bad yourself." Although Van was happy that he had beaten the Knight three times in a row, he couldn't forget the fact that Allen had beaten him seven times beforehand. "Let's take a break."

Van lowered his sword and replaced it in its sheath, Allen doing the same with his. The two of them walked across the courtyard and sat down on a stone bench, allowing the two swordsmen to catch their breath.

Allen took a moment to collect himself before asking Van a question. "So, when did you meet Hitomi?"

"Oh, just yesterday. I found her in a tree."

This seemed to amuse Allen. "You mean, the tall tree, at the top of the grassy hill?"

"Yeah, that's the one." Van said in surprise. "How did you know about that tree?"

"She's up in that tree all the time. She tried to get _me_ to climb that tree a couple of times." Van's cheeks reddened slightly. "She's such a crazy girl. If only she'd get her head out of the clouds…"

"What do you mean?"

"All she ever thinks about is flying. I took her on a leviship once. I swear, she would have jumped over board if I didn't hold her back, she was so happy. You know, I wouldn't be surprised if that contraption she's got in her barn is a mini-leviship that she's built herself."

'_That would explain why she likes Komali so much.'_ Van thought.

"How long have _you_ known Hitomi?" Van asked.

"Several years. Since she was very young. The first time I met her wasn't exactly a happy occasion though…" Allen trailed off.

"Why? What happened?"

_Flashback_

_It was dark outside. Only a few more hours until sunrise. Allen's patrol had received reports of a massacre at a farm near the border of Asturia._

_When they arrived, everything was in ruins. The house and barn had been set on fire and were almost burned to the ground. The wind kicked up feathers and blew them in soldier's faces as they checked the wreckage for survivors._

_Gaddes was the first to report anything. "I've got a body over here. This looks like the father."_

_Everyone continued to look around, scavenging through the piles of debris and ash. _

_Up ahead of him, Allen saw a lump on the ground that looked like a human body. Upon closer examination, he realized, to his horror, there were two bodies. A woman lie face up, her eyes wide open, a small trickle of blood coming out of her mouth. She was dead. Several arrows had struck her chest and her dress was saturated with blood. _

_Lying beside the woman and hugging the dead body's form was a little girl. The girl's face was buried in her mother's chest. Allen, fearing the worst, turned the girl over so he could see her face._

_Much to his astonishment, the girl inhaled sharply. She was startled by the young Knight's presence and now looked up at him, pure terror in her eyes. _

"_I found a survivor!" Allen called to the others._

_Allen picked up the girl and cradled her in his arms as he whispered words of comfort in her ear._

"_It's okay now. I won't hurt you. I'm here to help. You're safe now."_

_Allen carried the girl away from her mother. As he did so, he heard the child whisper, "Bye bye Mommy."_

_Once he was a good distance away from the woman's corpse, he set the child down on her feet._

"_Are you hurt at all?"_

_The little girl's emerald eyes gazed around in wonder. She looked so lost, and the fire reflected in her eyes only intensified that look. "No, I'm not hurt." _

"_Are you sure?" Allen persisted. The child was covered in her mother's blood. It was impossible to tell if the girl in front of him was really hurt at all._

"_Did the bad men go away?"_

"_Yes, they're all gone." Allen gave her a comforting smile. "Come, let's get you cleaned up." Allen again took the child into his arms, but this time he felt her small arms wrap securely around his neck. "Hey, what's you name?"_

"_Hit-Hitomi."_

"_Hitomi? That's a pretty name."_

"_What happened to Mamaru?"_

"_Who's Mamaru?"_

"_My brother. He's still inside the house. Can we go get him first?"_

_Allen looked back at the farmhouse. All that was left was a smoldering pile of ash…_

_End Flashback_

"That look on her face," Allen continued, "when she realized she'd never see her family again…it was horrible. I don't think I've ever seen someone so sad, and I don't ever want to see that look again."

Van tried to picture Hitomi looking sad, but all he saw was the charming, energetic girl he saw today and yesterday. He just couldn't picture a sad Hitomi.

"After that Hitomi came here to Fanelia to live with her Grandmother. I checked in from time to time, just to see how she was doing, and eventually we became friends."

"So she lives with her Grandmother now?"

"No, her Grandmother died last year. Hitomi lives by herself now. I asked if she wanted to move into my place, back at Asturia, but she said she wanted to stay. I asked why and she just said she knew someone who needed her here and she wasn't going to leave him." Allen sighed. At this point, he seemed to forget that Van was there and began talking to himself. "She's so secretive. She hardly tells me anything anymore. She won't tell me anything about the project she's working on or who this Komali guy is. I haven't even met him and he already sounds like a jerk."

"What makes you think he's a jerk?" Van retorted. Without even knowing it, he was trying to stand up for the new friend he had made the other night.

"Well, for one thing, Hitomi took me to that hill one time to meet this _Komali_ but he never showed up. What kind of idiot would stand up _both_ me and Hitomi?"

Van began to think. Hitomi had taken Van to the same hill to meet Komali, but he wasn't late. Hitomi knew exactly when he was going to show up, and he arrived right on time. So why didn't Allen get to meet him? All of the sudden, Folken's voice echoed in Van's head.

"_They can do that? Prevent people from seeing it?"_

"_Well, it's not like blinding people from seeing them, it's more like, wiping the memory from their minds. If someone managed to spot a Dragonbird, they wouldn't think twice about it. To them, it's just another bird. Understand?" _

That was it! Komali didn't _stand up_ to Allen and Hitomi. Allen _did_ see Komali, but since Komali didn't want Allen to see him, he must have flown away.

'_But why wouldn't Komali want to see Allen?'_

"Hey Van, what are you smiling about?" Allen interrupted.

Allen's voice brought Van back to his senses. "Oh, it's nothing." Although Allen was Van's friend, Van couldn't help but to take pride in the fact that Komali liked him more than Allen.

"Hey, speaking of Hitomi, how long has it been since we saw her this morning?"

"I don't know. Maybe four or five hours. Why do you ask?"

"I want to find out what this mystery machine she's building is. She said she'd have it done in two hours. I'm going to go and check on her."

Van found it kind of odd that Allen felt he needed to check on Hitomi. She was practically a grown woman and she didn't seem like the kind of person who needs a babysitter. Van decided he wanted to tag along.

"I'll come with you."

For the second time that day, Allen and Van made their way over to Hitomi's house, but this time they walked. Once they could see her house and barn in the distance, Van stopped walking and stared at the house. On the roof was the clear outline of a very large bird.

'_Komali is there…'_

But no sooner did he think this before the Dragonbird took off into the sky.

"Hey Van, what are you looking at?"

"That bird, don't you see it?"

Allen followed Van's gaze, stared for a moment, and shrugged.

"I don't see anything. Come on, hurry up."

'_Allen can't see Komali, or maybe, Komali doesn't want to be seen…'_

As soon as they arrived, Allen made to knock on the front door, but before his hand even touched the wood, a feminine voice called out above them.

"Back already?"

"Hitomi, what are you doing up there?"

"Enjoying the view. Come on up, there's a rope over there." Hitomi pointed to a long rope that was hanging off the branch of a tree next to the house.

"Hitomi, that's dangerous. What if the roof collapses?" the Knight panicked.

"I'll fall." Hitomi said simply. Van snorted. Allen scowled.

"Hitomi, please!"

"Fine, fine. I'm coming down." Hitomi's head disappeared from view.

"Thank you."

Suddenly both Van and Allen heard running footsteps coming from above them. They both looked up just in time to watch Hitomi jump off her roof and grab a hold of the rope. Slowly, she slid down the swinging rope, a mad grin on her face. She knew full well that she was freaking Allen out right now, but she didn't know that Van was fighting the urge to burst out laughing. Hitomi planted her feet on the ground and smiled at the scowling Knight.

"You did that on purpose."

Hitomi crossed her arms. "So, what are you going to do about it? Arrest me?"

"No, but I can complain about it. Over and over and over…"

"Alright alright, I get it." She waved her arms in the air to get him to shut up. "What did you come over for anyway?"

"We wanted to know if you finished your 'top secret' project yet." Van asked politely.

"Yup, I sure did." She seemed to almost jump for joy at the thought.

Allen, completely forgetting that he was trying to be serious with Hitomi, suddenly became interested in the conversation. "Well, can we see it?"

"Sure. Follow me." Hitomi turned her heal and ran towards the barn.

Van chuckled a little. "She's like an excited little kid."

Allen sighed. "Yeah…"

Once again, Hitomi grabbed a hold of the metallic barn doors and shoved her body weight against it to get it to open, and then she did the same to the other one. Afterwards, she waited for Van and Allen to come into the barn house before backing up slowly and grabbing a hold of the large black tarp that covered her 'secret project.'

"Well, don't keep us waiting, let's see it." Allen complained.

With a sudden whoosh, Hitomi ran backwards until the tarp was completely removed. Both Van and Allen's jaw's dropped. In front of them was what looked like a giant boomerang with a couple of metal bars sticking out of the bottom.

"What…What is it?" Van asked.

"It's called a hang glider. I heard about it from some people at the market. They said that some people in a distant land use them to travel around."

"What does it do?"

"It's a flying machine. You see, you hold on to those bars down there, make a good running start, and if the wind is good, it's supposed to fly."

Van's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, that's incredible. I'm impressed. Does it work?"

"I don't know. Today I'm going to give it its first test run…or should I say, first test flight."

Finally, Allen spoke up, causing both Hitomi and Van to jump in surprise. "No!"

Hitomi looked bewildered. "Excuse me?"

"No way _you're_ going to go flying in this thing. It's too dangerous. You could get seriously hurt."

"I'll manage." Hitomi shrugged.

Allen began to shout even louder. "No, you _won't_ manage. You are _not_ going flying tonight, or ever. No way. _I_ forbid it!"

Van looked confused. '_What is up with Allen?'_

Hitomi's features flickered. She looked furious.

"You are in no position to be ordering me around Allen _Shezare_!" Both Van and Allen flinched at the emphasis she put on his last name.

"I'm just trying to protect you."

"It's not up to you to protect me. I'm _not_ a little girl anymore, Allen. I can take care of myself."

Realizing that he wasn't going to win this argument, Allen left the barn house and walked around it so he couldn't be seen. Van felt extremely awkward just standing there while the two of them fought. Luckily Hitomi was the one to break the silence. She began to play around with the large tarp, getting ready to re-cover the hang glider.

"Here, let me help you with that." Van grabbed the other end of the tarp and helped toss it over the flying machine.

"Thanks. I'm sorry you had to see that."

"That's alright." While they adjusted the tarp to make sure the machine was completely covered, Van took the opportunity to study Hitomi. Although her voice sounded calm, her features clearly expressed frustration. She was still furious after the little shouting match she had with Allen. And speaking of Allen…Van was still a little shocked at his friend's behavior. He had never seen Allen act like that towards anyone. He was acting so over protective. True, when Allen first met Hitomi, she was a mess. She _needed_ someone to look after her, but Hitomi was grown up now. Allen had no reason to be ordering Hitomi around.

Van looked at Hitomi again. She still looked furious. Van decided to try to change the subject. He edged around the flying machine to over where Hitomi was so he could whisper to her and she would still be able to hear.

"I saw Komali fly away when we arrived."

Hitomi looked up at Van, obviously surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah, but Allen couldn't see him."

"Yeah…" She looked almost disappointed.

"Why won't Komali let Allen see him?"

Hitomi looked back up at Van and smiled. "I see you did your homework. I don't know what surprises me more. The fact that you actually looked up information on Dragonbirds or that you actually _found_ information on Dragonbirds."

"I have my brother to thank for that."

Hitomi's hand slipped in surprise. "You didn't tell him about Komali, did you?" She looked almost fearful.

"No, of course not. I just asked him about it and he told me all he knew. That's all."

Hitomi sighed in relief. "Don't scare me like that again. No one else can know about Komali. No one. Not unless Komali trusts that person."

"Wait a minute, does that mean…"

"Yeah, Komali doesn't trust Allen."

"Why?"

"I don't know. He always seemed so nice, but now I'm not so sure. He's been acting different lately." Hitomi finished adjusting the tarp and walked over to the metal table and sat down on it. "You've known Allen for a long time, right?

"Yes, I suppose so."

"Have you noticed how weird he's been acting?"

Van remembered the way Allen reacted when Hitomi had jumped off her roof, how he got angry when she told him she was going to fly in a machine she build, and the way Allen always looked at Hitomi. Now that he thought about it, Van never saw Allen act this way towards anyone. Except Hitomi…

"Um…no, I haven't noticed."

Van mentally scolded himself. '_What are you doing! You're sticking up for Allen?'_

"Oh, never mind."

'_Van, you are such an idiot.'_

"I can't wait till tonight. You have no idea how long I've waited for this project to be done."

"Why are you waiting until night time?"

"I don't want everyone in the village looking at me. They stare at me enough as it is."

"Why do they do that?" Van asked, but Hitomi didn't answer. Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she gazed at a spot on the floor. Van realized then that he was prying so he changed the subject back to her flying machine, the one thing that seemed to make her happy.

"How are you going to get that thing up in the air?"

Immediately, the smile returned to her face. "There's a rope I'm going to attach to the front and Komali is going to use it to pull me into the air. Once I get high enough, Komali will let go, and hopefully, I'll be flying."

"Sounds like fun."

"It is…I mean…it should be." Hitomi tensed up and her face started to turn red. She looked embarrassed. Van, afraid that he had offended her somehow, walked over to where she was sitting and knelt down in front of her.

"Hey, are you ok?" Van asked, concerned. He stared into her emerald eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" Hitomi said slowly, then suddenly she broke Van's gaze and looked up. "…Allen!"

Van turned his head and saw that Allen had come back. It was that moment Van realized the close proximity between him and Hitomi. Immediately, Van jumped up and took a step backwards, as if he had been caught doing something wrong.

Allen was looking at Van and Hitomi with a mixture of surprise and jealousy, but because the sun was on his back, Van and Hitomi couldn't see his face clearly.

"I'm heading back to the castle." Allen said through clenched teeth. "Are you coming with me, Van?"

"Yeah, I'll be right there." Van said to Allen's retreating back. Turning back to Hitomi, he said, "Well, I wish you luck on your flight. I'll keep an eye out for you."

"Thank you."

Van half ran to catch up with Allen. It wasn't until he was a good distance away from Hitomi that he realized how hard his heart was beating. He hardly knew this girl and just the thought of seeing her again made his spirit jump. Van mentally tried to get his thoughts in order.

'_What is wrong with me? Who am I to just show up and but into her personal life. She doesn't even know me, nor do I know her. And besides, she probably likes Allen anyway. He's known her longer.'_

"Hey, Allen! Wait up." Van finally caught up with the blonde Knight. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing." Allen said stubbornly. Van left him alone. The two of them didn't speak a word until they reached the castle.

It was kind of ironic. Allen was jealous of Van because he got close to Hitomi. Van was jealous of Allen because he's known Hitomi for so many years. At the time, neither of them would admit it, but they were both falling for the same girl.

**AN: Ahhhhh………….This chapter sucked! Sucked Sucked Sucked! I haven't written this story in so long I've forgotten where I was going with everything. I had to re read my story because I forgot what was going on. And while I was reading it, I kept saying, "I didn't write this!" So, if the story sucks from this point on, I apologize. I'm practically re-writing the plot I had planned, which could be either a good or bad thing. I'm also thinking I'm going to make Allen evil in this fic, after all, who doesn't love a good Allen bashing fic to read? Am I right? Yeah, I'm right! **

**Well, I've already written a big portion of next chapter so an update should come soon. I was going to include that in this chapter but it didn't quite fit, so you'll have to wait a little while longer. But you won't have to wait a whole month. I can't believe it's been that long! **

**Well, that's all I have to say for now. Review now so I know what you think! **

**Also, I'll let you know when I update if you give me your e-mail address. **

**Special thanks to all my reviewers and loyal fans! Especially to DIMB and CinderellaxVan. You both gave me some really good ideas for this fic, whether you meant to or not! **


	5. The Love Triangle

**AN: See, that didn't take to long now did it? It would have come even sooner but fanfiction was being a baka! It wouldn't even let me log on. Did you all have that problem too? Yeah, well, it's working now so I'm updating!!! HAHAHAHA………yeah……Oh, you should know that there is FLUFF in this chapter!!! YAY YAY YAY I LOVE FLUFF!!! Who doesn't love Fluff?**

**Oh, on another note, I've decided to make Allen mean, and maybe even…evil!!! It just makes it so much easier to hurt him. LOL. **

**Thank you all who Reviewed for my story, and those who read it and were too lazy to review!!! **

**A special thanks to Dilandau is my Boyfriend and to CinderellaxVan. You both gave me great ideas for this fic. I couldn't have done it without you!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Escaflowne. I don't even own Komali. I borrowed him from Zelda…*sob***

**Chapter Five: The Love Triangle**

All throughout dinner, Folken tried to engage his younger brother in conversation, but he could not be distracted. Folken decided to take drastic measures and took his green beans and shoved the ends into his upper teeth so the beans hung out to his chin. Although Merle loved the joke, and had to excuse herself from the table because of her laughter, Van barely smiled. He didn't even notice. Eventually, Folken gave up and let Van consume himself in his thoughts.

He couldn't stop thinking about Allen and Hitomi. Of all the people he had to compete with, it had to be Allen. Van admired the Knight for most of his life. Not only for his swordsmanship, but also the fact that he seemed so nice towards everyone. But then again, how well did Van know Allen. Almost everything he's heard about the knight came from stories he's heard. In fact, Van only gets to see Allen a few days of each year. Well, sure, Allen came to Fanelia a lot, but Van didn't get to see him every time. Allen always seemed to have business elsewhere. But then again, Allen had said that he checked in on Hitomi from time to time. What if all that while, Allen was spending his "business time" with Hitomi?

Van looked down the table, over to where the Knight had been sitting. He was gone. 

_'He must have left early without me noticing. I wonder where he went off to…'_

Van looked out the window and saw that it was sunset.

_'Hitomi should be flying soon…'_ And then it hit him. _'What if Allen is going to try and stop Hitomi? He might not take no for an answer this time.'_

Van crammed the last bit of food on his plate into his mouth and excused himself. Once he had left the dining room hall, Van ran towards a window and searched the skies. Nothing…yet. But down below, Van noticed a tall shadow making its way across the grass. Van recognized this shadow immediately. It was Allen. He looked like he was heading for the hill with the tall tree on top.

_'Why is he going there? Unless he thinks that Hitomi is going to take off from that spot…'_ The more Van thought about it, the more it made sense. Hitomi could run down the hill with her flying machine and use the momentum to go airborne. Then, Komali would give her the extra boost she needs to go higher into the air.  

If Allen was thinking along the same lines as Van, then the only reason he's heading for that hill is to stop Hitomi from testing her machine. And if that was the case, Van had to stop Allen. But how? 

He thought about following the Knight, but Allen would catch on eventually. He was trained to. And then Allen would ask Van what he was up to, but Van didn't want to jeopardize his friendship by saying, "I'm following you to make sure you don't do anything to Hitomi." So, Van scratched out that idea. 

There was only one thing he could do; Van had to get to that hill before Allen did. 

Van ran towards the castle gates, taking every short cut he knew. In less than a minute, he was outside and running towards the market. Allen had a head start, and he was taking the shorter way, but the only way Van was going to reach the hill unnoticed by Allen is by going through the now deserted market. Van turned right down an ally way then sprinted full out until he reached the base of the hill. Looking carefully, he didn't see Allen there. Van began to scramble up the hill until he reached the towering tree. Looking in the direction of the castle, Van saw Allen not too far away from his position, making his way to the hill. Van stood at the base of the large tree, resting his back against it as if he had been waiting there for hours. Eventually, Allen made his way up the hill, and when he reached the top, he noticed the young prince.

"Van, what are you doing here?" he asked in shock. 

Van pretended to be surprised by the Knight's presence. "Allen, I didn't realize you were there. I just came to see Hitomi off."

"Did she tell you she was going to take off from here?"

"No, I just guessed."

"Oh." The Knight looked seriously put out now that he knew he wasn't going to be alone with Hitomi. He was starting to get very annoyed and angry with Van. Ever since Van met Hitomi, he's been messing with Allen's plans to be alone with her. He needed to do something about that. 

Allen grinned. He needed to drive Van away from Hitomi before they got to serious, and he knew exactly how. He was going to play on Van's conscience. Van was too noble and kind hearted to go for a girl that his best friend liked. So, all Allen had to do was make some of his intensions towards Hitomi known, and Van will stay away. It was a perfect plan, so why not start now?

"Hey Van, how well do you know Hitomi?"

"Huh? I don't know, I just met her yesterday."

"Do you think she'd say yes if I ask her to marry me?" 

Van's heart felt as though it stopped and his blood ran cold. "What?!...uh…I don't know…"

"Oh, well, I was just wondering if you knew." 

Not exactly tactful, but the result was the same. Allen had planted the seed, and now Van was having doubts on whether or not to pursue a relationship with Hitomi. He thought about just being friends but he knew that would eat him up alive. 

Several minutes past and neither of them said anything. The sun had fully set now and Hitomi was nowhere to be seen. Van looked in the direction of Hitomi's house but saw nothing.

_'Maybe she changed her mind…Not likely…'_

Suddenly, a soft rumbling ruptured the silence. It sounded a lot like the wind hitting a sail. Both Allen and Van looked around for the source of the noise. All awhile, the sound was getting louder. It took them a moment to realize the noise was coming from behind them. They both turned around just in time to see Hitomi and her flying machine glide right past them. She was moving so fast, she only had time to yell, "Hello down there." 

Van just stood there and stared at Hitomi in awe. She was flying! She was _actually_ flying! All thoughts of Allen were immediately driven out of his mind. Allen on the other hand was scowling like never before. __

Hitomi began to descend and fly around in circles. Van realized that Hitomi was about to attempt to land, but she was going way to fast. Hitomi must have realized this too because her features expressed worry. 

In no time at all, Hitomi was getting very close to the ground. She stopped her circling and began to fly strait, still descending.

"Come on, Hitomi. Be careful. You can do it." Van prayed out loud.

Hitomi's feet touched the ground and she began to run, trying to slow herself down, but her momentum was too great. In only a second, Hitomi tripped and both she and the hang glider suddenly stopped as she crashed into the ground.

"Hitomi!" yelled Allen and Van at the same time. The two of them set off at a sprint to where Hitomi was. 

The two of them struggled to stay upright as they ran down the steep slope. Van didn't notice Allen slip and fall behind him, giving Van a head start. He was going to reach Hitomi before Allen did, and Allen cursed at himself for making such a clumsy mistake. Once Van reached the bottom of the hill, he ran fat out across the grassy plane. 

He couldn't understand why he was panicking so much. All he could think of was, _'Hitomi, please be ok…'_

But his panic subsided when he saw Hitomi climb out of the hang glider. At first she looked a bit dazed, starring at her surroundings with a confused expression. But then suddenly she smiled a wide smile and then screamed into the night. 

"Yes! I did it! I did it! I flew! Woo hoooo!!!" Hitomi jumped and whooped and hollered and ran around the flying machine, throwing her hands into the air. At that moment, Van realized that she was ok, and his panic was replaced with joy because Hitomi's flying machine actually worked. When Hitomi saw that Van was running towards her, she headed in that direction. "Did you see? It worked! It flew!" Hitomi jumped up and wrapped her arms around Van's neck as he swung her around in circles, the two of them laughing their heads off. 

Van set Hitomi's feet on the ground as she let go of his neck. For a moment the two of them just stood there, but then Van's smile dissipated. On Hitomi's forehead was a large bump with a small amount of blood coming out of it and dripping down towards her eyes.

"Hitomi, you're hurt…"

"No I'm not, I'm fine."

"No, Hitomi, your forehead…" Van raised his right hand and gently wiped away the crimson liquid. Hitomi winced. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I probably just hit my head during my crash landing. I'll have to work on that…" Hitomi stopped talking when she saw Allen behind Van's shoulder. Van turned around to see him starring at the two of them, arms crossed. Hitomi walked around Van and was just about to ask Allen if he saw her flying machine when he started yelling.

"What did I tell you earlier?"

"Um…"

"I told you not to go out in that thing. I said it was too dangerous. But you didn't listen to me, and now look at what's happened. You crashed and nearly got yourself killed."

"It's just a bump on the head."

"I don't care if it's just a bump. That's no way for a lady to act."

Hitomi looked around. "I don't see any ladies around here." Van laughed. 

Allen had half the mind to run over to Van and punch him in the mouth. Not only was Van stealing _his_ girl away from him, but he was encouraging her erratic behavior. 

"You would if you started acting like one. You're not a kid anymore Hitomi, it's time for you to grow up."

"You can't tell me what to do."

"I've known you more than anyone. I think_ I have say so in what you can and cannot do." _

"I'll do what ever I want _Allen. It's _my _life!" _

"It shouldn't be _your_ life if you're just going to throw it away. Especially for some stupid flying machine…"

SMACK

Van starred wide eyed at the furious Hitomi and the now shocked Allen. Before, Hitomi didn't seem to have a mean bone in her body, but now, she had just slapped one of the most skilled and powerful Knight's in all of Gaea. 

Hitomi pointed one threatening finger at Allen's chest. "Don't _you_ tell _me how to live, Allen. I can take care of myself."_

For a long while, nobody said anything. Hitomi's eyes were like daggers, piercing into Allen's soul. After a while, Allen couldn't look at Hitomi anymore and decided he was going to leave.

"Come on Van. Let's head back to the castle."

"Actually, I'm going to stay. You can head back by yourself." Van meant no harm by his statement. He just wanted to make sure Hitomi got home ok. That bump on her head looked like it hurt pretty bad, and he could tell Hitomi was hiding how much it really hurt her. 

Allen, however, saw this statement as a challenge. _'So, he's going to try and take Hitomi away from me, is he? Well, two can play at that game.'_

"On the other hand, I'll think I'll stay too. I'll help take glider thing back to Hitomi's house…"

"No you won't!" Hitomi said in a deadly calm voice. "You're not going anywhere near it. Go home Allen."

"But…"

"Go home!" she said even louder.

Allen opened and closed his mouth several times before turning his heal and leaving. Once he was out of sight, Hitomi turned around and walked back towards Van and her flying machine.  

"Two shouting matches in only a few hours, I'm surprised I haven't scared you off already." Hitomi joked to Van while she checked the hang glider for damage. 

"He had no right to say that. You're free to make your own decisions."

Hitomi raised her eyebrows. "Thank you." 

"However…"

Hitomi rolled her eyes. "Oh boy, here we go…"

"…I _do_ agree with him that you should be more careful. That landing of yours wasn't exactly graceful." 

Hitomi laughed. "I just underestimated how fast I was going. I'll have to make sure I get some sort of landing gear attached." 

Van thought for a moment while Hitomi propped up the hang glider into flight position. "Hitomi, how long have you been planning for this project?"

"I don't know. About two years." She sighed as she dusted off her hands. 

"And in all that time, you never thought about including landing gear in your design?"

Hitomi started laughing again. Van loved her laugh. He didn't want to see her upset again. 

"To be honest, when I was planning this project, I was concentrating on getting in the air. I wasn't thinking about getting back to the ground." 

"Obviously." Hitomi smiled. 

"Well, I guess I'd better start heading back." Hitomi crawled under the hang glider, grabbed a hold of the metal bar, and lifted it up.

"Here, let me help you." Van rushed over and also grabbed onto the metal bar. Van gasped. "It's so light. It looks like it weighs a ton but it's really light."

"Well it needs to be light; otherwise it wouldn't fly, now would it?"

"True." 

And the two of them started walking towards Hitomi's house, looking rather awkward carrying the large flying device. Both Hitomi and Van squeezed together so they could both hold on to the same metal bar, all a while their elbows grazed each other every now and then sending goose bumps up Van's arm. Hitomi decided to try and strike up a conversation to make the time go by faster.

"So, how's life at the castle?"

"It's okay, I guess."

"Just okay? Well, what is considered the normal life for a future King?" 

"Let's see, there's training, political lessons, training, negotiation tactics, _more_ training, sleep, eat, and did I mention _training_?"

Hitomi laughed. Van was the one person who could make her laugh so easily. 

"You make it sound so dreadful. It can't be_ that bad." Hitomi said optimistically. _

"True, it isn't. I think Merle is one of the people who make it all worth while."

Hitomi stiffened, but Van didn't notice. "Who's Merle?"

"She's kind of my adopted sister." Hitomi relaxed. 

"So, what about the rest of your family?"

_'She wants to know about my family?'_

So Van told her everything, well, almost everything. He told her about his father and mother, and he told her about Folken. Hitomi seemed especially interested in his brother. She laughed at the things Van told her he had done, including the times when Folken would put green beans in his teeth and make fun of the King's advisors. Hitomi threatened to collapse she was laughing so hard.

"He sounds a lot like my brother." 

"You have a brother?" Van asked without thinking. 

"Well, I used to. He died when I was young, along with my parents."

"I'm sorry."

"That's alright. I've moved on."

"How did they die, if you don't mind me asking?" Van was curious to know who was responsible for their deaths. 

"Um…some…some of the nearby villagers…I guess…didn't like our family very much, so they came one night and destroyed everything. I was the only one who made it out of there alive."

"Do you know why they attacked?"

"Um…no." 

Van made a side ward's glance at Hitomi. She was hiding something, he didn't know what, but she knows more than what she was letting on. But Van reminded himself that it wasn't his business and if Hitomi didn't want to tell him something, she didn't have too. 

"There's my house." Hitomi announced. 

Van marveled at how fast the time had gone by while they were talking. _'We're here already?'_

The two of them continued to walk towards the barn house. It was at this time, Van noticed something circling us in the sky. 

"Komali's following us." 

"Yeah, he has been ever since Allen left. He can probably smell the blood in my wound, so he's looking after me. He's very protective." 

"Will he fly down here?"  Van said a little worried that Komali was going to mistake him for Allen. 

"Only if he feels I'm being threatened. But Komali trusts you so you've got nothing to worry about." 

"Hitomi?"

"Yes?"

"How did you meet Komali?"

"Well, after my family died, I moved here to Fanelia with my grandmother. One day while I was taking a walk, I spotted a large nest sitting on a branch, overlooking a canyon. It was really windy outside and the nest looked like it was about to fall over. I decided that I was going to climb down into the canyon and try to rescue the eggs inside."

"Eggs? You mean there was more than one?"

"Yes. There were three eggs actually, but the eggs were too large. I had to carry them one at a time, but by the time I got the first egg and started climbing back up again, the wind suddenly got worse and the rest of the nest fell into the canyon…I didn't have time to get the other eggs." 

By this time, Hitomi and Van had reached the barn and were setting the hang glider down and replacing the tarp.

Hitomi continued her story. "I waited for the mother to return, but she never did, so I took the egg home and took care of it until it hatched. I raised Komali as best as I could, and now, he's become my best friend." Hitomi finished. 

After the tarp was replaced, both Hitomi and Van shut the metallic doors to the barn. Van walked Hitomi over to her house.

Hitomi continued the conversation. "So what about you, do you have any friends that you rescued and raised?"

"Not really, unless you include Merle, but _I didn't rescue her. My father did. He adopted her and she became my sister and friend."_

"That's sweet. I'd like to meet Merle some time." Both of them stopped in front of her door. 

"How about tomorrow? I could pick you up here and take you to the castle to meet Merle." 

Hitomi smiled. "I'd like that."

The light from the Mystic Moon poured onto Hitomi's face and Van again noticed the bleeding bump on her forehead that had now turned slightly blue.

Van frowned. _'If she ignores it much longer, it's going to get infected.'_

"Do you have any fresh water?"

"Yes, I do." Hitomi opened her door and allowed Van to step inside. She pointed to the kitchen. "Water is in there. Why, are you thirsty?"

"It's not for me; it's for your wound." Van said, disappearing into the kitchen.  

"Van, you don't have too…" Van reappeared with a basin of water and a clean cloth. Van saw Hitomi roll her eyes.

"Don't you roll your eyes at me. Sit." Van pointed to a couch on Hitomi's right. 

"But…"

"Sit!" Hitomi sighed but walked over and sat down. **(AN: Does this remind anyone of Inuyasha or is it just me?)**

Van set the basin and cloth down on the table in front of the couch and sat beside Hitomi. He picked up the cloth and soaked it in the water and pulled it back out, wringing the cloth so the excess water dripped back into the basin. Using his free hand, Van placed his fingers underneath Hitomi's chin and turned her head to face him. He moved some of her bangs out of the way and began to gently wipe away the crusted blood on her forehead. Hitomi shivered at his touch.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No, it's fine." But it only came out as a whisper. She couldn't speak any louder than that.

Van placed the cloth back in the basin, wrung it out, and then brought it back to Hitomi's head. Van repeated this process until the wound was clean. Van could see that the cut was small, so it should heal quickly. Van draped the cloth over the basin and turned back to Hitomi. He combed her bangs with his fingers until they covered her forehead. While he removed his hand, he caressed her cheek with his thumb.  

"There, you're all beautiful again." 

Hitomi smiled. "Thank you."

The two of them just sat there, starring at each other, neither of them sure what they were supposed to do at this point. A voice in the back of Van's head urged him to kiss her. But another little voice told him that it was too early. He only just met this girl yesterday and he was considering making a move on her. Already, the "what if's" started playing around in his mind.

_'What if she doesn't really like me? What if she turns away? I would ruin the only true friendship I have. What if she get's offended and hits me? What about Allen?'_

Allen has known Hitomi since she was a little girl and he seemed to know everything about her. But how much could he possibly know if he feels she needs protecting? Hitomi seemed like a more an independent person than someone who needs to be waited on hand and foot. So, maybe Allen doesn't really know Hitomi at all…

Then he remembered what Allen had said to him earlier that night.

_"Do you think she'd say yes if I ask her to marry me?"_

Van started to think, _'I don't think Allen would ask someone to marry them unless they truly _knew_ that person. __And what kind of friend would I be if I kissed the girl Allen plan's on proposing too? But then again…' Van remembered how angry Hitomi was at Allen, and he flashed back to the time when she had slapped him. __'Maybe she doesn't like him after all…'_

At first he was going to wait for Hitomi to make the first move, but then he realized that it wasn't her place to make a move on a future King, even though he wanted her too.

Mentally shaking his head, Van cleared his thoughts until only one voice remained.

_'Van, just go for it.'_

Giving in, Van leaned over and kissed her.

At first it was gentle, as if Van was asking permission to go further. He received no resistance so he deepened the kiss. He felt Hitomi's hand travel up his arm and move into his hair. Van reached his arms around Hitomi's back and pulled her closer to him. Little fireworks seemed to go off in his head and chest. The two of them deepened the kiss at the same time, not wanting the other to let go. 

It wasn't until they each needed breathe that they broke contact. After that, all they could do was grin. 

"Thank you."

Van let out a laugh. "You're welcome." 

Hitomi looked over to the window. "It's getting late. You should go before someone sends a search and rescue party."

Van gave Hitomi the puppy dog look. "Aww…can't I stay here with you?"

Hitomi punched Van playfully in the arm. "No, you can't."

The two of them stood up and walked over to the front door. Hitomi held it open as Van walked out and turned around just outside of the door frame.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, see you tomorrow. Oh, and don't forget about Merle. I still want to meet her."

"She'll be all too happy to come. But I fore warn you, she's going to pick you brain as soon as she sees you."

"That's alright." Hitomi laughed. "Well…"

"Good night Hitomi."

"Good night Van." Hitomi shut the door as Van walked away into the darkness. 

As he made his way back to the castle, Van walked with a bounce in his step, whistling merrily, all thoughts of Allen driven away from his mind. 

 **AN: Ok, lousy ending I know, but I couldn't think of anything else. I guess I'm not good at this type of thing. There, are you all happy? You got some fluff!!! But don't worry, there is still lots more FLUFF to come…and more Allen bashing!!! Yay!........But, now for the bad news, I'm off to girls camp for a week, so I don't think the next chapter will be coming until I return. I'll try to write quickly so I can get in another chapter, but I doubt that I will finish it in time. Sorry, but you'll just have to be patient with me.**

**By the way, I haven't decided if I want to kill Allen in this fic…I'd love suggestions. Heh…heh…heh…**

**Now, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!! PLEASE, they give me lots of encouragement. Or better yet…………*grin*…………I'm not going to post unless I get at least………8 REVIEWS!!!! MUAHAHAHAHA………….*cough*……Yeah, ok I'm gone.**

**Thanks for reading everybody,**

**Yugismpuzzle**


	6. Close Encounters of a Blonde Kind

**AN: Hi, everybody. I'm back. Did you know that AMPUTATION is the solution to EVERYING!!!! If something hurts or is causing you trouble, just CUT IT OFF and it will never bother you again. Does your finger have a paper cut? NO PROBLEM!!!! Just cut it off and it will never bother you again. Got a head ache? NO PROBLEM!!!! One swipe of the sword and your head is gone, it'll never cause you pain again!!!!.........Ok, why did I have to say that? BECAUSE I AM INSAINLY HYPER RIGHT NOW? WHY? BECAUSE I HAVE NOT EATEN ANYTHING ALL DAY!!! For some reason, starvation seems to have the opposite effect on me. Instead of getting tired, my body sort or FREAKS OUT and I call that my HYPER MODE. It usually occurs right before lunchtime because I don't eat breakfast so the last meal I've had would have been dinner. But right now, I haven't eaten anything for breakfast, lunch, or last night's dinner!!!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHA………The only down side is if I sit down and get comfortable, I can't get back up again. But why am I saying this? You all don't really care, you just want the next chapter, so I'll save my blabbing for my brother and let you get on with the story!!!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Escaflowne. If I did, I never would have sold it to Fox. THEY SUCK!!!!**

**Chapter Six: Close Encounters of a Blonde Kind**

Early the next morning, Van was having pleasant dreams about…someone. Unfortunately, he was interrupted by a large pink ball of fluff jumping on him and waking him from his slumber.

"Lord Van!" the cat girl screamed into his ear. 

"Merle! I was sleeping." Van groaned and turned over in his bed.

"But it's time to get up. It's such a beautiful day." Merle proceeded to bounce up and down on the bed. "Come on Lord Van, wake up."

"I am awake!" Van yelled as he threw a pillow at Merles face, which she dodged easily. She reappeared standing at the side of Van's bed. 

"Good, I'll let Folken in." Merle made a mad dash for the door.

"What?!" Van yelled, but it was too late. Merle opened the door and in came his brother Folken, a wide grin on her face. "You put her up to this didn't you?" Van accused.

Folken immediately became interested in a spot on his shoe. "Perhaps." This comment earned Folken a smack in the face with one of Van's pillows. "Hey! I just asked her to come in to see if you were awake._ I didn't want to interrupt your beauty sleep. _Merle_ on the other hand…" Van threw another pillow at his brother, which he caught this time. He turned to the pink ball of fluff that was now purring at the foot of Van's bed. "Merle, would you excuse us please?"_

"Sure!" Merle said in her happy-go-lucky voice. She ran on all fours out the door and shut it behind her. 

Van got out of bed and slipped on a red shirt **(AN: Who does his wardrobe anyway? Oh well…on with the story). He walked over to the window and pulled open the curtains and allowed the morning light to flood the room.**

"So, what's her last name?" Folken asked.

Van looked at his brother, confused. "What? Who?"

Folken threw the pillow that was in his hand at Van's head. "Hitomi, the girl you met in a tree?" 

"Yeah, what about her?"

Folken buried his head into his hands. "Oh no. Please tell me you got her last name! Please!"

Van, finally realizing what his brother was talking about, yelled out the answer. "Kanzaki, her last name is Kanzaki!"

Folken raised his arms in the air. "Thank heaven, she has a last name!" 

Van just rolled his eyes at his brother. "Is that all you came in here for?"

"Well, _that_ and I wanted to know why you ran off last night."

Van got a lump in his throat. "Folken, that's none of your business."

"You went to see Hitomi, didn't you?" 

"How did you know? Who told you that?" Van said, a little louder than he meant to.

"_You_ did." 

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did, just now. I said 'You went to see Hitomi, didn't you?' and you said, 'How did you know that?' which confirms my suspicions that last night, you left to see Hitomi again." Folken said matter-of-factly.

Van stood there speechless, starring at Folken's wide grin. Since he couldn't think of anything to counter his argument, Van picked up the pillow Folken threw at him and tossed it at his brother's chest. "Baka." **(AN: The solution to every problem. If you are confused or just plain angry, say "Baka" and all your troubles will go away!!!) **

Folken laughed at his younger brother. "So when are you going to see her again?"

"Today, I'm going to pick her up and bring her to the castle to meet Merle."

Folken shot Van a double take. "She's coming here?"

"Yeah…" Van said slowly. 

"I want to meet her." 

"What?!"

"Please, can I meet her too? I can be just as obnoxious as Merle." Folken said in a goofy tone that didn't suit his demeanor. 

"Alright, you can meet her, but don't start acting like Merle. One is enough." 

"Deal."

                                                            * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * 

When Van reached Hitomi's house, later that day, he wasn't at all surprised to once again find her on the roof with Komali, except this time, he didn't fly away. Hitomi called out for him to come on the roof, so he made his way over to the tree and began climbing rope she had swung off of the day before. Once he reached the level of the roof, he had to swing himself a little before his feet would reach. As soon as he landed, he made his way over to Hitomi and Komali. 

Van was still a little nervous being in the presence of such a large animal, but not as nervous as his first encounter with the Dragonbird. He couldn't take his crimson eyes away from Komali's fierce orange ones. Despite Komali's body language and obvious awareness of Van's presence, his eyes seemed to forever hold a hint of wariness. 

Once Van was within arm's length of the Dragonbird, he outstretched his hand and rubbed his beak in the same manner he had done two nights ago. 

"Hello Komali. And how are you doing this fine afternoon?" Van greeted. 

Komali's eye's rolled away in a lazy fashion as Van continued to massage his beak. He let out a deep moan of thanks and Van smiled. 

"Hey Van, come down here for a sec." Hitomi asked. She was seated on the roof at Komali's feet, several papers strewn about her.  

Van gave Komali one last pat on his feathery neck before sitting down beside Hitomi. 

"What's all this?" Van asked.

"Design plans for the hang glider. I was thinking about that little hitch with the landing last night and I think I've found the solution." Hitomi picked up one of the papers that had a design of the hang glider, with some modifications, and handed it to Van. "You see, at first I thought about adding wheels so I could just coast to a stop. But I'm afraid the glider will be too heavy if I add too much stuff on it, so that idea is out the door. Plus the terrain around here is too rough for wheels." Hitomi took the paper back from Van, crumpled it up, and threw it away to make her point. "My next idea was too…"

"Did you get any sleep last night, Hitomi?" Van interrupted.

Hitomi smiled. "Some, but I had a lot of things on my mind, ideas popping into my head. I figured I'd write them down before I forgot them. Anyway, eventually I came up with the idea to…"

But Van didn't find out what that idea was. Hitomi was interrupted by Komali's shrieking cry before taking flight. The force of his wings almost sent all the papers flying away, but Van and Hitomi managed to grab a hold on most of them. Hitomi pulled out a few rocks that were concealed from view and placed them on top of the papers so they wouldn't fly away.

Van looked up at the sky and could just barely make out Komali's form high in the sky. "Why did he fly off like that?"

"Someone's coming. He always fly's away when someone comes, except you of course." Hitomi stood up and looked over the roof towards the horizon. As soon as she spotted who was coming, she let out a moan. "It's Allen. I'm really not in the mood for him right now."

An idea popped into Van's head. Van reached up and grabbed Hitomi's hand and pulled her down beside him. Hitomi looked at him, confused, and was about to say something when Van put a finger to his lips. Catching on to Van's plan, Hitomi gave Van the thumbs up and began to slowly crawl towards the edge of the roof with Van. 

They waited quietly until they could hear Allen's approaching footsteps. 

"Here he comes." Van whispered. 

They both heard Allen knock three times on the door. "Hitomi, are you in there? It's me, Allen."

Hitomi burst into a fit of silent giggles. Van also fought to keep a strait face. 

"Come on Hitomi, open up." Again, Allen knocked on the door three times. "Maybe you're in the barn." Allen said to himself, not aware that there were other people around him who could hear what he was saying. 

"Nope, I'm not in the barn." Hitomi whispered to herself, still fighting to suppress her laughter. Van had to put his hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter. 

Hitomi took a quick peek over the edge of the roof. "He's headed for the barn." Immediately, Van stopped laughing. 

_'Allen wouldn't try to sabotage the hang glider, would he?'_

"Hitomi, can Allen get in there?" Van asked, quietly.

Hitomi shook her head. "No, I keep it locked up."

"Good."

Van didn't know that Hitomi was thinking along the same lines as him. Hitomi may be friends with Allen, but she wouldn't put it past him to do something to her glider. This is why she invested in a good lock. 

Sure enough, Hitomi and Van heard the moaning of the metal doors as Allen attempted to open them. He gave up eventually and resorted to pounding on Hitomi's front door again. 

"Come on Hitomi. I know you're there. Please, open up." Allen begged but he received no answer. Up above him, Hitomi and Van were struggling to keep quiet. 

All of the sudden, a breeze began to blow, and Van saw, to his horror, a piece of paper tumbling in the breeze on the rooftop. It was the same paper Hitomi had crumpled up and tossed aside earlier, and it was making its way to the edge of the roof. As the paper flew past him, Van tried to grab it in mid air, but he was too late. 

"No!" Van whispered.

The paper fell off the roof and landed in the grass below, right between Allen and the rope. Van moaned slightly and prayed that Allen wouldn't notice the paper…that had fallen only three feet away from where he was standing. Unfortunately, Allen was not _that_ ignorant. He saw the paper and bent down to pick it up. 

Both Van and Hitomi had there faces hanging over the roof to see what the knight was going to do. Allen opened up the paper and flattened it out. When he saw the designs for the hang glider modifications, he made a sort of angry smirk before tearing the paper to shreds and allowing the wind to blow them away. Just as Allen looked up to see where the paper had come from, Van and Hitomi hid their faces from view. 

Hitomi turned and whispered to Van. "So, do you think he liked my idea?"

Van laughed. "I don't think so…"

Both of their attentions were distracted when they heard the creaking of the rope. It was swinging slightly, back and forth.

"He's coming up." Hitomi said quietly.

Although the situation was far from humorous, Van and Hitomi couldn't help but to laugh. 

"What are we going to do now?" Van asked with a smile. 

Hitomi looked around. "Follow me, quick."

Hitomi quickly started crawling to the opposite end of the roof, grabbing her glider designs as she went. Once she reached the end of the roof, she stopped and waited for Van to catch up.

"Hitomi, he can still see us, even if we're over here."

"We're going to jump down." Hitomi swung her legs over the side of the roof.

"Jump?"

"Yeah."

Hitomi was about to jump when Van grabbed her hand and stopped her.

"But Hitomi, we're two stories high!"

"Oh come on, where's your sense of adventure?" Hitomi broke free of Vans grasp and fell down. When she landed, Van realized that there was a pile of hay below her. "Hurry up!"

Van rolled his eyes and turned his head towards the rope. Allen was almost to the top. Van swung his legs over the side and lowered his bottom half down. Allen's head peeked over the roof just as Van released with his hands and fell. 

FLUMP

Van found himself buried to the waist in the pile hay. Hitomi, who had been waiting for him to fall, grabbed both of Van's hands and pulled him out of the hay pile.

"Let's go."

The two of them dashed around the house as quickly and as quietly as they could until they reached the front door. Hitomi paused and pulled out a key from under her shirt, unlocked the door, and dashed inside. Once Van was also inside, Hitomi quietly shut the door and locked it again. She turned around and put her back to the door and paused. Both she and Van were panting and out of breath. 

Hitomi tried to keep a strait face while she caught her breath, but the laughter she had been holding inside her came bursting from her mouth.  Van too couldn't contain himself and he had to grab a hold of a nearby table to support himself, as his legs threatened to collapse underneath him. 

                                                            * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Outside, Allen climbed down the rope and released a frustrated sigh. 

"I was so sure she was up there." Allen said out loud.

For a moment, Allen thought he saw movement in Hitomi's window. Coking his head to one side, he walked closer to investigate. 

"Hitomi?"

                                                            * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Van managed to look up after his laughing fit, just in time to see Allen approaching the window. 

Van's heart gave a jolt. "It's Allen!" Van said in a loud whisper.

Van dashed beneath the window and flattened himself against the wall and floor, while Hitomi did the same against the door. Both of them kept absolutely still. Not a single word was uttered so there was almost a deathly silence, but still, they kept grinning. 

Van watched as Allen's shadow crept into the room through the window. He couldn't help but to hold his breath. 

                                                            * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Allen put his face to the window and cupped his hands around his head to block out the sun's reflection. Inside, he could see some old furniture and some miscellaneous items, but no Hitomi. 

The Knight eventually gave up and stepped away from the window.

_'I could have sworn I saw something.'_

Allen sighed and resigned himself to look for Hitomi elsewhere. Who knows, maybe he'll find her in tree…

                                                            * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Once Allen's shadow disappeared, Van exhaled the breath he had been holding in that whole time. He laughed to himself when he heard Hitomi do the same. Just to make sure, Van peeked his head up to the window to check and see if the coast was clear. He was relieved to see Allen far away, walking on the dirt road towards the main village. 

"He's gone." Van muttered.

Hitomi laughed openly. "That was crazy."

"What was crazy?" Van turned his head in Hitomi's direction and realized that there was a wall in between them. 

"You and your ideas..."

"What do you mean _my _ideas? You're the one who wanted to jump off the roof. Are you telling me that's _not crazy?"_

"Well, there were only two ways to get off the roof, the rope or to jump." Hitomi explained. 

"Maybe you should invest in a third way."

Hitomi seemed to consider that for a moment, and then she smiled a mischievous smile. 

Van could almost sense the excitement coming from the other end of the wall. "What? What are you concocting over there?" 

"It's nothing."

"Come on, tell me."

"Well, we could have flown down."

Van's heart nearly stopped. "Wha…What do you mean?"

_'Does she know about me being a Draconian?"_

"Well, if I had my glider up there we could have flown down, or maybe Komali could have given us a ride."

"Oh right…" Van was swept in relief. _'Get a hold of yourself Van. There is no way she could know about you being a Draconian. Just relax.'_

"Oh yeah, I didn't get to show you my idea for the glider." 

Hitomi appeared from behind the wall, her design papers in her hand. She sat down at a nearby coffee table and laid out all of her designs. Van came over and sat on his knees beside Hitomi. 

Hitomi held out one particular page. "Here it is. Ok, so I was thinking, the only real problem with the glider is it goes to fast to land. I thought that if I added a couple of air resistors, it might slow the glider down enough for it to land at running speed."

"That sounds like a great idea, but I thought you were worried about the glider being too heavy?"

"I was, but this idea will only make the glider about two pounds heavier. See look," Hitomi pointed to the specifications on the paper. "I'll install the trigger inside the hollow pole that you hold onto. When you twist the pole, the trigger will release the clamps on the wind resistors, which will spring up and use air resistance to slow it down. And I can make the air resistors out of the same fabric that Dryden gave me. That stuff is light as a feather, but super strong." Hitomi paused to signal that she was done with her explanation. "So, do you think it'll work?" 

"I think so, but I don't know how good my opinion is. I hardly know anything about what makes flying machines actually fly. Folken is the one who's good at that sort of thing."

"You mean your brother?"

"Yeah, when we were little, he'd make flying machines out of paper and we'd chase them all around the castle…hey, wait a minute. Why don't you bring your design with you to the castle and you can show Folken. If anybody could help you with this, it's him. What do you say?"

Hitomi looked positively delighted at the idea. "Absolutely, that would be really great. Do you really think he'll help _me?"_

"Of course, he's dieing to meet you anyway…"

"_Dieing_ to meet me?" Hitomi repeated through squinted eyes. 

"Um…"

Hitomi poked Van playfully in the ribs. "Did you tell your brother about me?" 

"Well, I told him I _met_ you, but not much other than that. You'll have to explain to him about your flying machine, because I didn't tell him about it." 

"But you told him you met me?"

"Well…yeah."

Hitomi didn't say anything. She just smiled at Van.

Van, feeling a little embarrassed, stood up and announced that it was about time they headed towards the castle.

**AN: Ok, so shoot me. This chapter isn't exactly my best. I had planned to put the whole castle adventure in it, but I realized that I hadn't updated in a while so I'm posting what I've got so far. Sorry people. You're going to have to wait a bit longer for another chapter. I've been getting complaints about the lack of updates on my other fic so I'm going to start writing that one again. Also, I just posted my first one shot fic, so read that one and tell me what you think about it. It's called Operation Golden Rule of Love Re-Written. I bet you can all guess what it's about. I'll say no more here. Now, just click the WONDERFULL LITTLE GRAY BUTTON LABLED "GO" AND GIVE ME A REVIEW!!!! THANKS A LOT!!!**

**By the way, if you would like to be notified of an update, leave your e-mail address in your reviews.**

**See ya!!!**


	7. Family

**AN: OH…MY…GOSH…Is this what I think it is? …IT IS…IT'S AN UPDATE!!!! gasp Took me long enough, huh? Actually, this chapter didn't turn out as good as many of you are expecting, but, you'll see…**

**Today, I bought the first Manga comic to "Tsubasa" and I LOVE IT!!!! I wish I had the money to get the others because it's SOOOO COOL!!!! It's a new comic by CLAMP and it's a crossover of a bunch of different things they've done. Mostly it's got the characters from Cardcaptor Sakura in an alternate reality, but I've seen a couple cameos of Chi from Chobits. You should definitely read this one!!! Again, it's called "Tsubasa."**

**By the way, I've stolen another name from Zelda in this chapter. I'm sorry, but no other name would fit!!! You'll see when you read what I'm talking about…**

**Reviewers: I'M SO SORRY FOR TAKING SOOOOO LONG!!!!!!!!! (yup, that pretty much cover's all of you)**

**Disclaimer: I OWN ESCAFLOWNE!!! MY WONDERFULL FANTABULOUS LOVING SYMPATHETIC EQUALLY-CRAZY MOTHER BOUGHT ME THE ENTIRE ESCAFLOWNE SERIES FOR FORTY DOLLARS!!!! However, the copyrights are not mine, so, I DON'T own Escaflowne. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I don't own Tsubasa. I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura. I don't own Chobits. I don't own CLAMP. I don't own ****Dragon Drive**** (which is TOTALLY AWESOME BY THE WAY!!!!). The only thing I own is the laptop where I write all these lousy stories…sigh**

**P.S. The manga version of Escaflowne should be DESTROYED!!!! DILANDAU MUST BE RESURECTED LONG ENOUGH TO BURN ALL THOSE BOOKS TO ASHES!!! I made the mistake long ago of reading one of them, thinking they would be good……I WAS WRONG!!! The whole thing is borderline pornography (so unless you're into that kind of thing…and if you are, I pity you…DON'T READ IT!!!!!!!)……yeah, I just felt I needed to warn you all. If I had it my way, I would burn the memory of that manga from my mind. I didn't even return it to the store. I threw it away that way no other poor soul could read it...**

**Chapter Seven: Family**

Hitomi picked out her choice design plan, stuffed it into her tan bag, which Van realized she always carried around with her, re-secured the lock to her house, and began walking with Van towards the castle.

"Why are you so excited?" Van asked when he noticed how jumpy she had become.

"Well, this might sound a little silly, but I've never seen the castle up close before. I mean, I've never been any closer than the outer wall, so, I'm excited to be able to go inside and see it up close."

Van narrowed his eyes at the girl. "The gates are usually open to the citizens. You could have at least gone into the courtyard. I might have seen you there sometime."

"But I didn't think it was my place. I didn't have any real reason to be there. It would have been awkward."

"It doesn't sound like you to feel awkward; the girl who spends her time building gliders that can't land."

Hitomi pushed him away, playfully. "Hey, I landed okay. I just tripped, that's all. Besides, I'll fix the…"

When she stopped in mid sentence, Van looked at her and saw she was gazing ahead of them at the road. He too looked in the same direction and moaned. It was his "fan club." They were walking along the same road as he and Hitomi, and within the next few seconds, they would spot him. After that…who knows…

"I'm really not in the mood for them right now." said Van, copying what Hitomi had said earlier about Allen.

Hitomi laughed softly before pulling him by his arm to the edge of the road where there was a field of wheat. She pushed him to the ground and whispered, "I've got an idea." Before dashing away again.

Van kept low to the ground, hiding in the field, wondering what Hitomi had planned. He glanced up just long enough to see that she was lying on the ground on the opposite side of the road, looking like she was taking a nap in the warm sun. When the voices of the girls came closer, Van flattened himself against the earth and kept still.

"…he can't keep hiding forever."

"Yeah, he's going to have to face the truth sometime, I mean, come on. He's of proper age and he's still single. So, when he's ready to face facts, I'll be ready."

"_You'll_ be ready? What makes you think he'd choose you? You're the daughter of a seamstress. That's not exactly what every royal is looking for, unless Lord Van wants someone to do his laundry."

"Hey, it doesn't matter what my station is, after all, it's not like he'll ever be King. Lord Folken will beat him to that."

"Too bad you can't marry Lord Folken then. He's already chosen someone."

"But it's not set in stone. Just because he's chosen someone doesn't mean he _will_ marry her. There's still hope…"

"Who's that?"

The conversation stopped when the girls reached Hitomi. Van offered gratitude to anything and everyone that the women had stopped talking. Not only did he not want to hear about his predicament from total strangers, he didn't want Hitomi to hear any more of it either. He was embarrassed by it.

"Hitomi, is that you?" one of the girls said.

Van heard stirring as he assumed Hitomi had sat up.

"Oh, hello Yukari, I didn't hear you coming. How are you?"

"Fine, I guess…"

"So, what are you girls doing all the way out here? The castle is back that way." Hitomi asked innocently.

"We know where the castle is, _Hitomi_." said another woman. Her voice was slightly menacing and nasally. "The question is what are _you_ doing here? This road isn't for freak shows like you."

"Hey, calm down, Melissa. You don't mean that."

"Are you taking her side, Yukari? Don't tell me you're still friends with that little…"

"Oh my goodness! Is that Lord Van?" Hitomi piped up.

All the other girls forgot their quarrel and began looking about in every direction. Then they continued down the road to where Hitomi had pointed, looking around excitedly for any sign of the prince. About a minute passed when Hitomi came over to where Van was and told him that the coast was clear.

"_This_ is what they do every day?" Van asked incredulously.

"Pretty much." Hitomi rolled her eyes. "Let's get out of here before they decided to come back."

They walked quickly away until they reached a bend in the road and then slowed to a normal pace.

"Is it true about what they said?" Hitomi started.

"What do you mean?"

"About you having to pick someone."

"Yes…unfortunately."

A beat passed between them before Hitomi spoke again.

"That sucks."

Van let out a hollow laugh. "Not nearly as bad as your ordeal. What do those girls have against you anyway?"

"They think I'm weird."

Van laughed. "You are!"

"Seriously, Van, look at me." She stopped walking and opened her arms wide. "How many girls do you know who look like me?"

Now that he was paying attention, he realized that she was very different. Her hair was cut short enough to make her look like a boy from a distance and she didn't wear a dress. She was wearing pants that cut off below the knees and a shirt with sleeves that hung loose midway to her elbow.

"Well?" Hitomi insisted. "How many?"

"None."

Hitomi let her hands fall back to her sides and they continued walking. "My point exactly. I don't think they like that I don't fit in. As Allen put so nicely yesterday, _I don't act like a lady_."

Van shrugged. "You're you. Nobody has the right to tell you differently."

He shot a double take at the air in front of him. _'What did I just say? Where did that come from?'_ He cast a sideways glance at Hitomi, wondering if she was looking at him weird like he suspected. She was looking at the road ahead, head cast downward slightly, trying to hide a faint blush. Van's eyebrows raised and he opened his mouth to say something but Hitomi beat him to it.

"Thanks." She looked up at him. "I mean it. It means a lot that you said that."

"I meant it. I sure wouldn't want you to act like those girls back there."

Hitomi gazed up at him with wide eyes and folded her hands under her chin. "Aw, you mean you don't like a bunch of women following you around, goggling at every little move you make?"

They laughed and joked and talked the rest of the way to the castle. Van spoke more about his family as Hitomi listened attentively. Hitomi in turn told Van a little about her own family.

"My brother, Mamorou, was about two years younger than me. We both had an obsession with flying. We used to go out into the crops and see who could build the best glider out of sticks and husks of corn."

"Were your parents farmers?"

"Yup. We didn't own a lot of land, but it was enough to get by, and we were happy. I remember one of the favorite things we used to do together was riding around in this bag." Hitomi gestured to the light brown bag that was hanging from her shoulder. "My mother made it when Mamorou was born to carry him around. I used to put him inside and carry him around on my back." She paused as a memory returned to her and a smile spread across her face. "Once, I was trying to climb a tree, but Mamorou couldn't reach the branch, so I carried him up inside the bag. But before I got too far up, the bag slipped away and got caught on a branch. It was so funny! He was stuck in the bag, swinging back and forth, yelling for me to help him out, and I was too busy laughing at him to do anything."

Van laughed. "How did you end up getting him down?"

"My father heard all the commotion and got him down. After that, I wasn't allowed to carry him in the bag, but he thought it was funny too. We all laughed about it for weeks."

"I wish I could have met them. They sound like really nice people."

"Yeah…they were."

Silence fell between them as a question nagged at Van. He fought himself, wondering if he should ask or just leave the issue alone. When he felt that things had grown too quiet for too long, he risked asking her.

"Um, Hitomi?"

"Yes?"

"If you don't mind my asking, what happened to them? You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Hitomi's face fell. "I had a feeling you were going to ask that sooner or later."

"I…I'm sorry. Just forget I said it…"

"No, it's alright. I guess its better you hear it from me rather than someone else's twisted version of the truth." She glanced back at the village they had passed a while back, where the two of them had encountered the other girls. "Only about three weeks after the incident with me and Mamorou in the tree, a group of strange men came to our village. I think they were hunters of some sort. I'm not sure exactly…I was too young to understand at the time…but they got into a fight with my father one night. My dad told them to leave, and they did…for a while. They came back a couple hours later and burned down the house. My dad went back in to find my brother, but they never came out. Mom and I…ran away but…the men killed her too. The men never saw me, and eventually they left. Shortly afterward, Allen and his men came to investigate. Allen made sure I was taken care of after that and he made sure I traveled safely here, to Fanelia, to live with my grandmother. She died about a year ago of natural causes."

Van stared at Hitomi. She was able to tell that entire horrific story with a calm voice, as if it didn't bother her that all of her loved ones and family were gone. He couldn't understand it.

_'If that all happened to me, I'd be devastated…'_ Van narrowed his eyes. _'There's more to this story, but she's not going to tell…'_

Hitomi's smile returned. "Actually, I owe a lot to my grandmother. She gave up her entire savings so I could afford all the materials for my hang glider. She was a great support to me. I'm just sorry she didn't get to see me last night…she would have really loved it."

Van took Hitomi's hand into his own. "I'm sure she did."

She looked a little surprised at his hand but did nothing to fight it. Van felt his insides relax at the realization that she wasn't pushing him away. Yet, at the same time, he scolded himself for getting too close. He knew Allen's intentions regarding Hitomi and he knew that he had just met this girl two days ago. He couldn't understand it. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he felt a connection to this girl, almost as if they shared something important. He didn't know how he knew, but something told him that Hitomi felt the same way about him and he didn't think she understood it either. The whole thing was very confusing…

"There's Komali."

Van looked up and searched the skies. "I don't see…"

Hitomi released Van's hand and pointed far off to his right. Van spotted Komali flying towards a distant mountain range. Slightly confused, he glanced back at Hitomi and asked, "Where's he going?"

"To hunt in the mountains. He hasn't eaten in a while, so, he must be hungry."

"What does he eat?"

Hitomi shrugged. "Just common game. He knows I don't approve of killing hu…I mean other people, so, he sticks to the common animals."

"You trained him to do that?" he said, amazed.

Hitomi laughed. "Actually, no. I never had to tell him to do anything. He chose not to attack people all by himself."

"He's very smart."

"_Extremely_ smart. Smarter than you and I."

Van raised an eyebrow. "If he's _that_ smart, then why can't he just talk to us?"

"He can. Just not in the way you think he should. If you get to know him a little better, you'll understand what he's saying."

"I look forward to it." He said mostly to himself. He looked up ahead and saw the castle gate. "We're here."

Hitomi gazed up in wonder and whispered, "Wow!"

She inspected everything from the towering walls to the parapets above. Fanelian flags tossed around in the wind, occasionally reflecting the sun. People entered and left the main entrance at their leisure, talking happily to each other. Fanelian guards stood at the entrance way, every now and then offering a polite nod to the citizens.

Van felt a little awkward walking with Hitomi, who was staring in awe at everything around her. He had never really paid attention to all the details of the castle. He had grown up in it, so, the marvel of it all had never touched him. He took a moment to look around and tried to appreciate the architecture of the castle and the atmosphere he had always taken for granted. He tried to look at it with a new set of eyes, and while doing so, he noticed many small details he hadn't known were there. A tree that carried pink blossoms was less than a few yards away from the main gateway. There were more windows and slits cut into the wall than he had originally thought. And near the top, there was a crack in the fortifications that had been filled, most likely many years before. He marveled at how he could grow up in an environment such as this and still miss things.

"I can't believe I've waited all this time to see it."

"Hey, I was just about to say that."

Together they walked through the outer wall, receiving a salute from the nearby guards. Many people glanced in their direction, wondering who the girl walking with the prince of Fanelia was. When they reached the inner wall, the man gate was held open as the two of them walked inside. The main courtyard was not nearly as crowded as the outer ring of the castle. However, Van didn't make more than a dozen steps before he was propelled on his back by a screaming ball.

"Lord Van!"

Van coughed as the wind was knocked out of him.

"I missed you so much!"

"Merle, I was only gone for an hour!"

"But it took such a _long_ time!"

Van managed to detangle himself from the arms of the little cat girl enough to sit up. Standing was out of the question. He looked up helplessly at Hitomi and sighed at her amused expression.

"Hitomi, this is Merle. Merle, meet Hitomi."

Merle finally noticed the stranger and let go of Van's chest, allowing him to stand. The cat-girl stood up on her toes, however not even reaching the height of Hitomi's chin, and circled around her, examining the newcomer. Hitomi followed Merle with her eyes and raised her arms when she came close. Merle hummed and sniffed and searched from head to toe.

"You're weird."

Hitomi scratched her head and smiled. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

"What's with those clothes?"

"Merle!" Van warned.

Merle laughed sheepishly and grabbed a hold of Van's arm. "Just kidding! Nice to meet you, Hitomi! I'm Van's much younger, however, wiser sister!"

"No you're not."

"Yes I am. Folken said so."

"Oh really? Well, where is Folken anyway?"

"He's in his room. Come on, I'll show you!"

Merle started walking towards the castle, dragging Van's arm with her. Van looked back at Hitomi and shrugged before she ran to catch up.

"At least she's taking us to the one person we came to see. If it were anyone else, we'd be doomed." Van said, trying to make up for his embarrassment.

While traveling through the castle towards Folken's room, Van's uneasiness faded, and after further thought, he realized that Hitomi probably felt more out of place than he did at the moment. She didn't look as confident in the new surroundings and she spoke little. She was obviously fascinated with the castle and the fact that she was inside it but it wasn't a place where she fit in, at least outwardly.

When they reached Folken's room, Merle knocked on the door once before barging in. "Folken!"

"Does she always do that?" Hitomi asked.

"Always." Van sighed, remembering how he had been woken up that very morning.

Merle reappeared at the doorway. "He's not there."

"Of course I'm not there, I'm here."

Van and Hitomi turned around, startled, and saw a tall man standing behind them.

"There he is! I found him!"

"But Merle, I'm not there, I'm here." Folken said, motioning to the floor in which he stood.

"I know you're there, I'm saying that you're not here."

"But I _am_ here."

"True, but I said…" Merle was cut off when Van put his hand over her mouth.

Van looked to Hitomi who looked utterly confused. "It's a contest."

"Ah. I see."

Van released his hand when Merle started making pretend gagging noises. "Folken, this is…"

"Hitomi, nice to meet you." Folken interrupted.

"It's an honor to meet you, Lord Folken." Hitomi bowed respectfully, remembering whom she was addressing.

Folken smiled and raised a hand. "Please, while we're alone, we can drop the formalities. Call me Folken."

"Um…alright."

"So, what brings the three of you here on a fine day like this?"

"Hitomi's building a flying machine." Van announced with a note of pride.

"Oh really? All by yourself?"

Hitomi's normal glowing demeanor returned at the turn of the conversation. "Yeah, pretty much. I've been working on it for quite some time, actually, and I'm almost finished. It just needs a few minor adjustments." She rummaged through her bag and pulled out her design plans. "I was wondering if you'd look at the design. I'd really appreciate any input!"

Folken took the papers, glanced at them briefly before looking back at Hitomi. "Why do you want to hear _my_ opinion?"

"Well, Van said that this kind of thing is your hobby."

"I thought you might be able to help." Van interjected.

Folken raised an eyebrow and glanced down to study the papers. While he looked, Hitomi noted that Folken hummed to himself, much in the same manner Merle had done when the cat-girl had studied her. She suspected Merle retained the habit from her oldest brother. After a moment's hesitation, Folken addressed the young woman without looking at her.

"This is quite an ingenious plan, Hitomi. I'm very impressed. Tell me, who did you study from? Who taught you all of this?"

"No one. I taught myself."

Folken locked eyes with her and gestured to the papers in his hand. "Then how can you know that this thing will even fly?"

Hitomi hesitated, glanced at Van, then the floor, then back to Folken. "Trial and error."

Being the only one who understood the joke, Folken immediately burst into laughter, leaving his two younger siblings staring dumbfounded. Van glanced at Hitomi, about to ask what was so funny when Folken managed to choke, "Come with me."

Van and Hitomi followed Folken down the corridor, Merle mysteriously disappearing sometime after the "joke." They only walked a few doors down before Folken led them inside. Upon entering, Hitomi let out an audible gasp. All over the room was miniature flying devices. Many of which Van recognized as ones his brother had built. Van inhaled the familiar scent of wood and felt the memories rush back. He hadn't been inside this room for years, not since he was a small boy.

"This is where I'd build my gliders. I don't come in here as often, however occasionally. Old habits die hard, so they say."

"It's wonderful." Hitomi commented while gazing above her where a particularly large glider was suspended from the ceiling.

Folken followed her gaze and smiled. "That one never flew, it's mostly for show." He sat down at a large working table, cleared a space, and set Hitomi's design papers down. "This machine of yours, however, _will_ fly."

"We already know it can fly." Van stated.

"You do?" Folken raised an eyebrow.

Hitomi looked at Van and smiled, recalling. "I tested it last night."

"I thought you said it wasn't finished."

"It's not. I'm having an issue with speed."

Folken looked down at the papers again. "According to this, you should have plenty of speed."

"_That's_ my problem. It goes too fast to land on foot."

"Well, you could alter the curve of the wings, add more weight maybe…"

"No, I like how fast it moves, so I don't want to change that." Hitomi walked to where Folken sat and glanced down at the papers. "What I want is a way to slow it down enough for me to run it out." She pointed to specific diagrams on the wings. "I was thinking of adding a flap that could be raised automatically, using air resistance to slow it down, but I've never done anything like that before and I'm not sure how it'll work without testing it myself."

Folken's eyes grew wide. "Well, it's a good thing you _didn't_ test it out. These flaps you have on each wing," he pointed to each one, "are going directly against the wind. With a dramatic change like that, you'll make the glider spin out of control and crash."

Van sat down on the table, close enough to the designs to see what had been indicated. He noticed from the corner of his eyes as Hitomi became rigid. "Oh…"

Folken looked at the design for a moment longer. "But your idea will still work. We just have to put the flaps on backwards." Folken reached for a writing utensil, looked up at Hitomi, asking for permission to write on her design, and began drawing. "Instead of making the flap go perpendicular to the wing, you can change the angle so it moves back further. The air pressure will increase on the top of the wings and push the aircraft down and reduce its speed. Basic aerodynamics." Folken relaxed into the back of his chair when Hitomi snatched up her designs and studied them.

Van's eyes followed Hitomi as she walked around the room, whispering and counting to herself, checking and re-checking her design. Van admitted that he knew nothing about aerodynamics but he had a feeling that Folken's idea would work. He felt confident, an emotion that was unexpected since the project didn't belong to him and he had contributed nothing. Yet for reasons unknown, he had a sense of pride that the machine would work. The glider would fly perfectly.

Van grinned to himself and glanced at his brother. Folken was gazing at Hitomi with a calculating look. Van almost voiced the question in his head, wondering why he was looking at Hitomi like that, then thought better of it. He'd ask later.

"It'll work." Hitomi announced.

"Well of course it'll work."

"I-I-I mean, I'll have to get some more materials, but it'll work. It's going to fly!"

"It?" Folken gagged. "You can't call this masterpiece an 'it.' Don't you have a name?"

Hitomi looked thoughtful. "No, actually, I never thought about a name."

Folken sat up in his chair. "Well, we had better get to it. No aircraft can fly without a name, otherwise, your cursed before you even leave the ground."

Hitomi smiled. "Alright, any ideas?"

"How about Naria?"

"Folken…" Van mumbled.

"Or Eria?"

"Folken! You can't do that!"

"Who's Naria and Eria?" Hitomi asked.

"Naria is the name of the woman Folken has chosen to marry when the time comes. Eria is her twin sister and one of Folken's friends." Van explained.

"Their names are fine. Why can't I use those names?" Folken asked childishly.

"You just can't!"

"Fine!"

There was silence in the room for quite a while before Hitomi spoke in a quiet whisper, almost to herself. "…Medli…"

"Pardon?" said Folken.

"How about Medli?" Hitomi repeated.

"Strange name, yet, it has a nice ring to it. I like it." Folken smiled. "Van?"

Van nodded in agreement. "Sounds good."

"Medli it is." Hitomi said with a smile. "Now all I have to do is finish building her."

"How long do you think it'll take?" Van wondered.

"A while, unfortunately. I'll need to order more parts from Asturia, but that'll take almost a month to arrive…But I could go to Asturia and be back with the materials in about ten days."

"We have blacksmiths here in Fanelia. Can't you get your supplies here?"

"Unfortunately, no. The metal I used for the framing is of a special blend and I only know one man in all of Gaea whom I trust to get it right, and he lives in Asturia."

"So you'll be going to Allan Shezare's country? I could arrange for an escort. It might make your traveling go by faster." Folken suggested. Without him knowing, Van glared at his older brother.

"Well, actually, I prefer to travel alone, but thank you anyway."

Folken looked at Hitomi, not sure he was hearing her correctly. "Alone? It takes at least four days to reach Asturia, and you're going to travel by yourself?"

Hitomi nodded. "I can manage. I tie my own shoes and everything."

Van laughed but Folken merely offered a polite smile. "Sure you can." He mumbled to himself. "So, when will you leave?"

Hitomi shrugged. "Either today or tomorrow morning."

Van stopped laughing immediately. "So soon?"

"I've got nothing else to do, and besides, the sooner I get the parts, the sooner I'll be back in the air."

"I guess your right." Van failed to hide the disappointment in his voice.

Hitomi looked curiously up at Van until an idea came to mind. "Do you want to walk around for a bit?" she glanced at Folken without him seeing. Van understood the message.

"Yeah, let's go."

Hitomi faced Folken and bowed. "Thank you very much for helping me. You have no idea how much this means to me."

Folken stood and returned a small bow. "The pleasure was mine, Hitomi. I'm glad to of met you."

When the door was shut safely behind them, Folken sat back down in his chair and sighed.

"I guess Van can't see it…" Folken smiled. "…neither can Hitomi, for that matter."

When Van and Hitomi were out of earshot, Hitomi approached Van.

"What's wrong, Van?"

"Noth…"

"And don't say 'nothing' because I know it's something."

Van couldn't answer. He wasn't even sure himself. Instead, he made something up at the top of his head. "I'm just a little…worried, I guess, about you going alone."

To Van's astonishment, Hitomi suppressed a smile. "I'm not _actually_ going alone. I'm not _that_ naive. Komali is going to fly me to Asturia. It's faster and safer."

Van's spirits lifted slightly. "So you'll be back in less than ten days."

"No, it'll take a long time for Mr. Mole…he's the one who built the pieces to the frame…to get the materials together, and then to build the pieces I'll need. So, it's still going to take at least ten days, maybe more."

Van felt the bubble in his chest pop. "Oh."

Hitomi again noted the disappointment. "Look, if I leave today, I'll be back sooner. Its great weather right now and that should give Komali and me a good head start. I'll be back before you know it. You won't even know I'm gone."

Van tried to tell himself so, but inwardly, he knew it was a lie.

Much too soon for Van's liking, they reached the palace courtyard where they had first entered. He was just about to offer to walk Hitomi home when the thought arose that he was being too overprotective and he silenced the thought. The last thing he wanted was to start acting like Allen…

They reached the base of the stairs and stopped.

"Take care of yourself." Van offered.

"Always do!" Hitomi beamed.

Van extended his arms and wrapped Hitomi in a secure hug which she returned. Before they broke, without even realizing he had done it, Van kissed Hitomi on the cheek. She held his gaze a moment longer than necessary then finally turned to leave the courtyard.

By the time Hitomi had disappeared beyond the gateway and around the inner wall, Van was still staring after her and Folken had come to his younger brother's side.

"You're falling, and you're falling fast."

"Too fast. I met her only a few days ago and already I feel…I don't know…is this normal?"

Folken sighed. "Van, with you, nothing is normal. But I understand what you're going through."

"Then tell me what's happening."

"Van, I'm afraid the two of you are going to have to figure that out on your own."

**AN: Yep…its official……I SUCK! I went way too long without writing this story and I've lost my touch. I don't think this chapter was funny at all. If anything, it was depressing. I was supposed to be rid of my depressing scenarios after Second Atlantis Machine, but no, I had to cram everything into this chapter…sniff…I suck, I suck, I suck, I suck…**

**Now that the whole history of Hitomi's family is out in the open, I'm hoping to make the rest of the story a lot better. As for the humor, well…all suggestions are welcome. Is there anyone reading this that is good with humor fics who wants to beta read this from now on? I desperately need the help! Or maybe I just need to eat more sugar…or get some sleep… (Wrote the majority of this chapter at ****3AM**

**So now, I'm asking all of you to click on the magic "go" button and type a few thoughtful words. The more words, the more inspiration. The more inspiration, the sooner an update will come. Unless of course you don't like it, then don't review cause then I won't get any words and I won't have any inspiration and I'll go back to writing depressing stories…**

**…Just review…**

**Shout Outs:**

**The Fire Beacon: I'm sorry things didn't work out. I tried my best. Our reunion will have to wait a bit longer. I hope school is going well!!! I heard you saw the Yu-Gi-Oh movie. I thought it was really funny, but the plot and the sound weren't as good as I would have liked. What did you think? I'd love to hear from you! -**

**Tonks: Hey there! How was vacation? Win anything cool? LOL…after all, you said you were going to game shows. Did you win a car!!! JK!**

**Moony: Eh…I see you all the time…and you've read enough of my blabber for a lifetime. GIT OFF THE COMPUTER BLIND GIRL!!! LOL…See you soon! **


	8. Seven days and Seven nights Times Two

**AN: Yes! It's an Update. I'm so sorry it took so long, but it's finally here! I promised it would be up during spring break and, well, today for me is the last day of spring break, and I'M POSTING! It would have been up erlier but I no longer have internet access on my lap top, so the only way I could post was to re-type the ENTIRE chapter! sigh It took a LONG time, but I finally got it finished, and here it is. I wanted to get it posted ASAP, so I'm not going to answer reviews individually for this one. Instead, I'm extending a great big loving hug to you all! Even if you didn't review, you still get a hug for reading. **

**Enjoy.**

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**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Escaflowne, and Gir agrees with me, right Gir?**

**Gir****: DOO BEE DOO BEE DOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**

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**Chapter Eight: Seven days and Seven nights Times Two**

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Van stood panting in the middle of a dimly lit room, holding his quarterstaff in a defensive position. He had just blocked yet another ferocious blow from his sword master, Balgus, and was beginning to tire. He had been sparring with Balgus for almost three hours without rest, pushing himself to the limit and demanding more on his body than ever before.

It was the third day since Hitomi had left for Asturia and Folken had suggested that Van focus his energy on his studies, which had been lacking since Van had met the energetic girl. As much as Van wanted to be annoyed and offended that Folken was accusing his him of being lay and easily distracted, Van had to concur with Folken's judgment. His mind had been astray in the past few days and he had accomplished little in his studies. Therefore, when he resumed his training, Van promised himself that he would do the best he could possibly do and even better. Van threw himself into his exercises, determined to become better at everything he already knew how to do. As a result, every one of his instructors were amazed with his progress, even Balgus had to admit that Van was quickly improving his combat skills and wondered where Van had found his new determination.

Tired of being on the defensive, Van switched the position of his hands on the quarterstaff and leaned forward. He charged Balgus, swinging the butt of the staff from below, aiming at his teacher's legs. Balgus blocked the attack and quickly shifted his own weapon as Van swung the staff again, this time, aiming at his head. Balgus sidestepped and whirled the quarterstaff around and behind him, and knocked Van to the ground by sweeping his feet out from under him. Van's staff fell to the floor with a clatter when his back hit the floor. He wheezed as the air was let out of his chest and the next thing he knew, his master was standing over him, the edge of his staff aimed for Van's neck. He lost…again.

Van let his head relax against the ground in resignation. Balgus stepped away and picked up Van's dropped weapon.

"That's enough for today." He boomed. "You need some rest."

Van didn't argue this time. After his first day of training, he went to bed sore. When he woke up, he could barely move, but once he got his muscles moving again, he returned to Balgus for another day of training. Today was the third day in a row, and unlike on his first day when he insisted that he could continue, Van agreed his training was over.

"You've improved greatly these past few days, Lord Van. Your technique is excellent, however…"

"I don't charge aggressively enough." Van finished.

Balgus frowned. "Yes, Lord Van. You have to charge as if you mean to kill. Good technique is nothing if your opponent knows that you have no intention of harming them."

Van stood up slowly, nodding at his teacher's words. Van knew that Balgus was right, but it didn't stop him from disliking it. He didn't like combat that could end in the death of someone, either him or a stranger, but these were not sentiments he shared with his instructor. He didn't want to be perceived as being weak.

"We'll continue tomorrow. Get some rest." Balgus bowed respectfully.

Van also bowed before leaving the room. He walked to his bedroom and changed into some fresh clothes. Before he could leave, he spotted a note on the table next to the door. Upon reading it, Van left his room and set out in search of his brother. Folken wanted to speak with Van when he had a spare moment. Since his classes and training were over for the day, no time was better than the present.

Van searched the castle for his brother. He first checked his bedroom, but when he found it empty, Van begun wandering around, looking in the usual places. Folken wasn't in the library or the main hall or in the recreation room. Soon, Van became aware of his rumbling stomach and decided to head for the dining hall. It was almost dinner time and he could find his brother there. He hand never known Folken to miss a meal.

When Van entered, his mother and father were already seated at the table.

"Oh there you are, Van." Varie smiled. "I just sent Merle to find you and your brother."

"Hello mother." Van greeted before taking his place at the table. "Maybe she'll have better luck than I did. I was just looking for him too."

"Well, let's go ahead and start without them. I don't wasn't all this food to go cold." Goau said before spooning a large sample of potatoes.

Van also dug into his own plate, now fully aware of his appetite. He was on his fourth mouthful when his mother asked, "So, who's this Hitomi I've heard about?"

Van gagged and fought to keep his food in his mouth. After a few agonizing moments where he swore he was going to die choking on his food, he managed to painfully swallow. "What?"

"Hitomi? The girl who came to the castle a few days ago?"

"Yes."

"Who is she?"

"Well, I just met her last week. She's built a flying machine that she can glide around in. I invited her to the castle because I thought Folken could give her a second opinion on some of her modifications."

"She sounds like a charming girl. I'd like to meet her."

Van gave his mother a confused look. Besides what Van had just explained, how could she know anything about Hitomi to label her "charming?"

Varie smiled at Van's bewilderment. "Folken told me about her. Why don't you invite her to dinner tonight?"

Van slumped in his chair. "She's in Asturia right now. She won't be back for another week or so."

Varie detected her son's disappointment but said nothing.

The main doors opened and Folken emerged, eyeing the table hungrily. He walked over and sat down, earning himself a kick in the shin from Van. Folken jumped upright in his chair, surprise etched in his face. Varie and Goau paid no attention. Folken looked at Van, annoyance reflected in both boys' demeanors, though Folken was slightly more confused. Nevertheless, Folken helped himself to some food. After a few bites, Van finally spoke.

"I got your note. What did you want?"

Folken's eyebrows rose suddenly, just remembering something. "I just wanted to tell you that mother wants to meet Hitomi."

Van buried his face in his hands. Varie laughed and told Folken that they had been discussing Hitomi just before he walked in.

After Varie had learned all she could from the two brothers, it was arranged for Van to invite Hitomi to dinner to meet the King and Queen, once she had returned from Asturia. At first Van was slightly perturbed that he couldn't tell his mother about Hitomi, but his feelings turned to that of excitement at the prospect of inviting her to the castle again. Despite the unknown variables, he could help but think; only seven more days till her return…

Van continued to excel in his training and studies, earning high praise from his instructors. When the time of normal instruction ended and his day off began, Van finally felt the full effects of his hard work and was grateful to have a day of rest. Unfortunately for him, when he turned a corner on his way outside, Van ran into the one person he had been trying to avoid.

"Allen!"

The knight was flustered but looked anxiously at Van.

"Van, I was wondering where you've been. Are you looking for a sparring partner?"

"I thought you had left Fanelia." Van said, not sure he heard Allen's random question correctly.

"I decided to stay a while longer." He said offhandedly. "So, are you up for a re-match?" He jabbed his finger upwards, meaning he wanted to go to the roof.

Van nodded. "Sure."

While they made their way outside, Van wondered what Allen's true intentions were. Van didn't need a sparring partner, not after this past week with Balgus, and neither did Allen. He was going out of his way to speak with Van, alone. That's why they were headed for the roof. It was the closest place where they would have to worry about onlookers. Looking for a sparring partner was a poor excuse to speak with Van alone. Nevertheless, Van played along with the façade.

In seemingly no time at all, they were on the roof facing each other, wooden training swords in their hands. Almost immediately, Van had to bring up his sword to block Allen's rushing attack. The Knight threw blows at Van, one right after another, not giving Van any time to recover. All he could do was block the onslaught of assaults.

_'What is wrong with him?'_

Allen's attacks were rash and shortsighted and easily blocked, but he was too quick for Van to counter attack. Their swords banged against each other rapidly. The sounds of their clashes echoed off the stone walls and made it seem like there were a dozen fighting instead of two. Both were breathing heavily and Van's arms began to burn. They were already exhausted from the past week and Van was surprised at how quickly he had run out of energy. Luckily, Allen was also showing signs of fatigue. When the Knight made a risky move, Van took the opportunity to counter it and swing the sword away from Allen, sending his weapon soaring beyond his reach. Van whirled back around and brought the edge of his wood sword to Allen's chest and froze. The match was over.

"You're not concentrating, Allen." Van smiled. He was using the same words Allen had once used to describe Van's technique. "You were too rash."

Allen's jaw clenched noticeably. Van stepped back and lowered his sword, allowing Allen to retrieve his own. The Knight turned his back on Van and picked up his fallen weapon.

"Van, do you know where Hitomi is?" Allen asked in a casual tone.

Van saw through the guise and avoided the question.

"Why are you asking me?"

Allen came about, slightly annoyed, and gazed fixedly at the prince.

"I know she's been missing for over a week and that you were the last to see her."

Van raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I suppose I was the last to see her but I wouldn't necessarily say she's missing."

"Then you know where she is?"

Van leaned against the wall closest to the door, taking as much time as he could to delay answering. Part of him wanted to lie to Allen and tell him to get lost, but realized he would be stooping to his level. He could have sworn that Allen had stopped breathing while waiting for his reply.

"She's left to visit someone in Asturia."

"Asturia! Why didn't she tell me?"

"Maybe she wanted to be left alone…"

"Alone?" Allen's jaw dropped. "You let her go to Asturia alone? What is wrong with you, Van?"

"It was her decision."

Allen shook his head in frustration. "Van, you just don't get it, do you? She can't take care of herself. She needs someone to look after her. Everywhere she goes, she gets into trouble because she's so naive about everything."

"She's smart enough to know how to fly." Van countered smugly.

Allen looked at Van with wide eyes, almost unbelieving at Van's words. He stood there, stunned, and finally shook it off.

"She's merely a child. You don't know her like I do."

"Likewise."

For a moment, neither the Knight nor prince moved as they glared at each other, suppressing anger and frustration. Allen was the first to move by dropping his weapon and walking towards the door.

"I'm going to find her. She's _my_ responsibility, Van. You stay out of it!"

Two hours later, Allen fled Fanelia on horseback at a breakneck pace. He'd reach Asturia in just over a day, by Van's count. He sighed deeply, wondering if he should have told the Knight everything he did. If Allen found Hitomi before she could leave, she might be upset that Van had revealed her location. Then again, Hitomi was due back in Fanelia in two days, so, she may already be on her way back, leaving Allen on a wild goose chase which would keep him away for many more days.

Van's thoughts turned back to the argument between him and Allen. He couldn't believe the things Allen had said about Hitomi. She's merely a child, he had said. She was almost a grown woman! How could Allen say such a thing? She didn't belong to him.

Van slouched in his chair in his room. He looked out at his homeland.

Allen was planning to propose to Hitomi. If he marries her, then she would belong to him, and she would be miserable. He'd lock her up like one would a small bird. She'd never be free again. She would never agree to marry him, but if she did… And what about Komali? Surely _he_ wouldn't allow a union between the two of them. Komali doesn't trust Allen; otherwise he would have shown himself to him. Komali had allowed Van to see him, so maybe…

Van sat up strait like a bolt of lightning and smacked himself in the head. Why did he think that? Why did that thought enter his mind? Stop being stupid, he scolded himself. He had only just met her and he really didn't know that much about her, so he had no reason to think that she would…

Van hit himself again in punishment.

Five days later, Hitomi returned to Fanelia…with Allen. Just after finishing his combat training, Van noticed Komali flying high in the sky, but Hitomi wasn't with him. The Dragonbird was circling a spot on the ground. Sure enough, there was Allen riding on horseback and Hitomi walking several paces to the right of him, carrying a large bundle on her back, scowling at the dirt beneath her. She looked as though she wanted to fly away that very moment which, Van thought with a laugh, was probably not far from the truth.

Just before the two small figures disappeared beneath the shadow of Fanelia's buildings, Allen kicked at his horse and rode ahead, leaving Hitomi to walk the rest of the way home by herself.

The instant they vanished beneath the buildings, Van ran down the hall as fast as his legs would carry him towards the main gate. Somewhere along the way, he ran past a surprised Folken who asked where Van was off to. Van shouted, as he ran past, that Hitomi had returned. Folken had only a second to shout at his younger brother to bring her to dinner that night before Van disappeared behind a corner and stumbled upon hearing his brother's words. Folken heard Van growl and chuckled in response.

As Van ran, he received questionable glances from those he passed including a few servants and the guards to the front gate. He didn't stop running till he reached Hitomi's house, though he took a minute to catch his breath before knocking on the door. Before he could wait for a response, he heard a deep shriek from the opposite end of the house. He recognized it as Komali at once and instinctively knew he was being called.

Van came around the house and found Komali lying in the tall grass. When he came closer, he saw Hitomi was lying next to him, eyes closed and breathing deeply.

"I'm not asleep." She mumbled.

"Of course you're not."

"Sorry I'm late." Hitomi smiled weakly. "I'm just sitting here, resting my eyes for a minute."

Van sat down beside her and stroked Komali's forehead.

"I'm sorry about Allen. I didn't mean to tell him where you were."

"I know." She opened her eyes. "He told me what happened just as I was about to leave Asturia."

Van winced inwardly. "Did I cut it that close?"

"If he had arrived five minutes later, I would have already been on my way back."

Van burned in embarrassment. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it, I don't blame you." She dismissed the apology with a wave of her hand. "It turned out to be an interesting trip. And I got a lot of exercise."

"Walking?" he asked dully, feeling a pang of guilt.

"Yup. You see," Hitomi sat up and leaned herself against Komali for support. "At first Allen tried to get me to ride with him on his horse, but I said no and kept walking. Then, he tried to take my bag saying it was too heavy for me to carry. I asked him if I could take his sword. He asked me why and I told him that it looked to heavy for his delicate hands."

Van suppressed a laugh and allowed Hitomi to continue.

"I think I hurt his pride when I said that because he didn't press me further until yesterday. He wanted to strike a compromise. _He_ would walk and _I_ could ride the horse. Well, when the time came to find a place to camp for the night, he went off to gather supplies to make a fire while I made a torch. Once he had the fire going, I lit my torch and kept walking. It took him quite a while to get the fire put out and to catch up with me. So, I walked all night last night and all day again until I came here and now…" Hitomi let out a big yawn and laid herself back on the dry grass. "…I'm taking a rest."

Van smiled softly. "I've discovered something new about you, Hitomi. You're stubborn."

Hitomi laughed. "Yes I am."

Van looked around and spotted the bulking bundle Hitomi had been carrying. It looked as though she had tossed it down before collapsing to the ground.

"I'll go ahead and put your supplies away, alright?"

Hitomi mumbled her consent. Van stood up and gathered the large bundle, surprised at its light weight, and walked over to the barn house doors. Once he was there, he saw that he doors were still locked and he didn't have the key. He set the bag down and went back to Hitomi for the day, only to find that she had fallen asleep.

"What do I do now?" he asked Komali.

The Dragonbird nudged Hitomi's head with his beak, but she didn't wake. Van sighed and knelt down, reached at the back of her neck for the thin rope that tied the key to the barn house door, and gently pulled it over her head. Once inside the barn house, Van set the materials on the long worktable. He glanced momentarily at the large covered mountain that took up most of the room in the house. Medli, Hitomi had decided to call it. He took a quick peek underneath the tarp and gazed intently at the hang glider. It was a magnificent accomplishment, Van thought. To build something of this magnitude took a lot of hard work and dedication and, of course, intelligence. The latter being something Allen hadn't seen in the strange girl.

Van left everything as it was before re-locking the metallic doors and returning to Hitomi and Komali. The instant Van sat in the grass, Komali hauled himself onto his clawed feet and began to walk away.

"Hey, where are you going?"

But Komali merely turned away form him and with a powerful kick, leaped into the air and flew away. Van frowned at Komali's unusual behavior. Why was he leaving Hitomi? He didn't usually leave her alone, did he? Van looked down at Hitomi, who was still sound asleep, wondered if he should try to wake her up and take her inside, and thought better of it. She had been walking for two days and a night without rest.

Van gently curled Hitomi's head forward and lifted her torso to a sitting position. He reached under her knees and lifter her off the ground. She stirred slightly and her eyes snapped open.

"It's alright, you can go back to sleep." Van mumbled.

She settled down again and Van carried her to the front door of her house. Then he realized his predicament. The door was locked and he didn't have a third hand. Van hummed to himself, wondering what he was going to do when he felt the key in his hand jerk away. Hitomi had it in her hand and unlocked the door.

"I'll make it easier." She said sleepily, while opening the door.

"You're supposed to be asleep."

"You woke me up."

Van entered Hitomi's house and was halfway up the stairs when she guided him the rest of the way. Hitomi's room was small compared to his own but of fair size. There was a long dresser with a mirror on the right wall. Her bed was in the center of the left wall. The room felt open and was full of light. A table and chair faced a large window which was open to the sky and sunlight streamed inside in small pillars.

He laid Hitomi on her bed, removed her boots, and covered her in a blanket. Hitomi squirmed restlessly but was too exhausted to resist. When he was finished, he knelt down, and took her hand in his.

"I have something to tell you."

"What…"

"I'll wait till you wake up."

"You don't have to do that." Hitomi sighed and fell asleep.

Van set himself by the window. He listened for a moment to the sound of Hitomi's deep breathing as she slept and noted the rise and fall of the blanket with each breath.

He spent the next several hours sitting at that chair, getting his thoughts in order. He wasn't entirely certain what had transpired during the two weeks she was gone, but from what he could guess, Hitomi was supposed to leave Asturia on the tenth day when Allen intercepted her, which meant that she had been walking for four days, and one night, Van added. He found her behavior towards Allen amusing. She did everything in her power to rid herself of the Knight, even to the point of exhaustion. She was as stubborn as he was, perhaps even more so.

One reason alone bound Allen to Hitomi and that was his love for her, but Van loved her too. Now he could admit it to himself freely and accept it. He gave up trying to explain why he felt the way he did. He loved Hitomi and Allen loved her, but Allen seeks to possess her. He wants her to belong to him and to submit to him. Van loved her because he felt they were kindred spirits. He wanted to be with her…and there lie his greatest problem.

Van shifted self-consciously in his chair and glanced surreptitiously at Hitomi. Would she love him if she found out what he was? Would she be able to handle the truth of his heritage? Could she ever love a cursed creature such as himself? If anyone were to accept him, he thought Hitomi would. He couldn't think of anyone else he would want to tell his secret to, yet he was afraid. The fear of being rejected was overpowering at times. But he knew he'd have to tell her eventually. His heart wouldn't let him keep secrets from her forever. _I'm just waiting for the right time,_ he rationalized.

It was less than an hour before sunset when Hitomi awoke. He had been gazing out the window, watching the sun slowly descend when Hitomi brought him out of his reverie.

"Careful, Van, if you stare hard enough, your face will get stuck that way."

Van let out a laugh before walking over and sitting next to Hitomi on the bed.

"How long have I been asleep?" Hitomi asked as she shifted into an upright sitting position.

"Not long. It's not quite sunset."

Hitomi glanced out the window and the fading light.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep you…"

"I insisted. Besides, I thought you might like to have a nice dinner, assuming you're sick of travel food."

"Diner actually sounds great, but, what about your mother and father?"

Van looked sheepishly at his hands. "Folken _accidentally_ let slip to mother that I had brought you to the castle and now she wants to meet you. You don't have to go if you don't want to. I'll just tell her—"

Hitomi silenced him with a finger. "I'd love to meet the rest of your family. Though, I probably should dress better for the occasion." She indicated to her travel clothes which she was still wearing.

"You go ahead and freshen up." Van said.

He stood up to leave when Hitomi's hand held him back. Van noted the slight tinge of pink which decorated her cheeks.

"I missed you."

"Having Allen for company, it's no wonder." Van joked. "I missed you too." He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I'll wait downstairs."

The summer sun had disappeared below the mountains only to be replaced in brilliance by the Mystic Moon. On the way to the castle, Hitomi retold in more detail exactly what had occurred during the past fourteen days. Van discovered that he had been correct in his assumptions.

Hitomi had flown to Asturia on Komali's back and, upon arrival, had sought the help of a man called Mr. Mole. Mr. Mole was a partially blind man with abundant resources. He was a kind and trustworthy man, the only person who knew about her glider project before its completion. She trusted no other to get the materials he needed. Mr. Mole had taken much longer than Hitomi had anticipated gathering the alloys and extra fabric. By the time he had returned to her, it was the tenth day. She had set out hastily to leave Asturia but Allen had intercepted her before she could call Komali to her.

For the next three days, Hitomi walked all the way to Fanelia, much to the annoyance of her escort. He had insisted that she "stop being so stubborn" and ride with him on his horse. Allen persisted in saying that it would take longer to reach Fanelia on foot than if she rode. Hitomi said nothing to him then. Instead, she slowed her pace.

"That's why it took me so long to get back. Four long days of playing games. I was a bit childish, I admit, but he wasn't exactly acting like an adult either. Even Komali was a little surprised at some of the things Allen did." Hitomi laughed for a moment, recomposed herself, and continued. "On the second day, when I told him I didn't want a babysitter and that he should leave me alone, he rode on ahead until I couldn't see him. Then, he doubled back and followed me from behind. If it weren't for Komali, I wouldn't have seen him, but I told him to come out of hiding and eventually, he did. He kept asking me how I knew he was back there."

"What did you say?"

"A skinny yellow tree told me."

Van thought for a moment…Allen…a yellow tree…

Van caught Hitomi's eye and smiled.

"What did—"

"He never got it."

The two of them laughed.

"What is taking so long?" Van asked for the umpteenth time. "What could she possibly have to say that would take this long?"

Queen Varie had excused herself from the dinner table, asking Hitomi to join her, almost an hour before. King Goau, Folken, and Van had been left behind, neither one of them seeming to know what Varie was up to.

"Patience, Van." Goau counseled.

"I'm sure mother just wanted to speak to Hitomi alone. They'll be back soon."

Van sighed, anxiousness reflected in his voice. He didn't even try to hide it, knowing it to be pointless when his family was near, namely Folken. He rocked his glass back and fourth on the table with his index finger. Folken and Goau, deciding to leave Van alone with his thoughts, began talking amongst themselves.

Van had been excited to introduce Hitomi to his mother and father. Hitomi, though a little nervous at first, warmed right up to them upon arrival. She was respectful towards them and they were in turn to her. But Van was worried about how his mother reacted. Though she seemed accepting of Hitomi, Van couldn't help but notice a calculating look about her when she stared at Hitomi. It was as though she were looking for something, something small or indistinct. The look never left her face through the evening and on through dinner. Then, in a strange twist of events, Van's mother excused herself from the table and asked Hitomi to join her for a walk, privately. Hitomi's face was unsure and she looked to Van for reassurance but only received an equally puzzled complexion. A moment later, she was out the door, now being guided around the castle, alone with his mother.

Van had spent the past hour trying to figure out why and could only come up with one conclusion. He mother was seizing Hitomi up. She knew Van was close to her and wanted to reveal his secret to her. It was likely that Varie was finding out for herself if she thought Hitomi could handle such a secret. Varie's behavior was logical in that sense; it didn't provide any comfort to Van. What if she concludes that Hitomi isn't ready for such a burden? Van had already decided that he was going to tell Hitomi about his heritage. He felt she could handle it. At least, he hoped she could. But if she couldn't, Van didn't want to disobey his mother. Despite what others may have thought, Varie was a woman of wisdom, and her advice was not something to be taken lightly. What if she didn't want Van to tell…

At long last, the dinning hall doors opened. Hitomi came in first, followed closely by Queen Varie, and they took their places at he table.

Folken was the first to ask her why she had left, but Queen Varie merely responded with a vague "girl talk" response. Afterwards, conversation was picked up again. Over an hour passed when the subject changed to something other than Hitomi's life. She fell silent and Van noticed her occasional gesture of rubbing her eyes. Van caught his mother and father's attention.

"It's getting late. I'm going to take Hitomi home."

Goau nodded in approval. "Yes, it is late. I apologize for keeping you. I had forgotten about your long journey from Asturia."

Hitomi bowed. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"You're welcome to visit the castle whenever you wish." Varie smiled. "Sleep well, Hitomi."

Varie glanced briefly in Van's direction, her eyes sending messages without the utterance of words. _'I want to speak with you when you return.'_ Van nodded to his mother, though it seemed to everyone else he was nodding in farewell.

What did his mother need to speak to him about, Van wondered. Whatever it was, he was certain it regarded her conversation with Hitomi. Would she tell him he couldn't see her anymore? No, Van dismissed that thought immediately. It didn't make sense. Varie had just provided Hitomi an open invitation to come to the castle grounds whenever she wanted. What was his mother up to? What did she say to Hitomi when they were alone?

Van led Hitomi out of the dining hall. When the doors were shut safely behind them and they were walking away, Van broached the subject of his mother.

"So, do I even want to know what that was all about?"

"Probably not. She just asked me how I met you and what I thought about you. I was sure that everything I was telling were things she already knew."

Van was surprised. "That's all?"

"That's all. Maybe she just wanted my perspective?"

"Maybe." Van shrugged though he was more confused than before.

The castle courtyard was virtually deserted, save the palace guards who saluted as Van passed. Several times, Hitomi failed to stifle a yawn as they passed. A few of the guards that saw her grinned at the sleepy girl, knowing the darkness of the night shrouded their features.

When they were a good distance away from the castle, Hitomi stopped in her tracks.

"I'm sorry. I'm too tired to keep walking. If I keep going, I'll be sleepwalking the rest of the way and wake up all the way in Zaibach."

Van laughed and looked up, searching the sky for Komali. "I don't see him."

"You want to call him?" Hitomi pulled out a thin silver tube, no longer than his forefinger, from inside her pocket. It was a whistle. "Just blow long and softly. He'll call back if he hears you."

Van took the whistle excitedly and placed it against his lips. He inhaled deeply and blew out steadily. A soft, shrill cry escaped from him and seemed to echo in the wind. It was the cry of a small bird, traveling quickly across the lands. Before Van depleted his air, another sound responded. Its cry was more intense but it carried itself in the wind just as the whistle's call had. Van looked around but couldn't seem to find the source of the new sound. It came in from all directions.

"Call him again." Hitomi whispered.

Van blew again. This time when Komali answered, a short piercing cry came from directly behind him, from the castle.

Hitomi took the whistle and tucked it away in her pocket. "He's coming."

"That was amazing!"

Hitomi smiled. "This is how we communicate if I'm not sure where he is. He almost always knows were I am, but this ensures that I can call on him without shouting. Shouting attracts a lot of attention."

Van guessed she had learned this from personal experience but didn't press the matter. Already, he could see Komali's profile gliding over the castle. Van could only stare in awe at the Dragonbird as it soared towards them with unbelievable speed, against the wind. Komali landed heavily on the earth, his talons ripping through the grass. He steadied himself with his wings as Van and Hitomi approached.

"You're just as tired as I am, aren't you?" Hitomi asked Komali. She greeted him by hugging his feathery head. Van smiled in wonder as Hitomi stroked the head of the fierce Dragonbird, without fear.

Hitomi broke away and turned to Van. "Thanks for the dinner, Van. I had a lot of fun."

"You're welcome. You're going to work on Medli tomorrow, right? I'll see you then?"

"Great. It's a date then." Hitomi winked. It was the same thing Van had said to her the day they had met.

Hitomi whirled around and climbed atop Komali's back, holding onto his neck for support. Van took a step forward and pet Komai's forehead. He looked strait into the Dragonbird's fierce eyes. "You take care of her." Komali blinked but Van knew he was really saying, "I always do."

Van looked up at Hitomi and reached for her hand. "Goodnight, Hitomi."

"Goodnight."

Van took several steps backwards, never diverting his gaze. When he was a dozen paces away, Komali crouched low to the ground, spread his great wings, and leapt into the air. In a matter of seconds, they were gone from sight.

Queen Varie stood under the great archway that opened before the forests which lay behind the castle. When Van turned the corner, she gazed intently at him as he approached. She reached out and touched his shoulder.

"Walk with me, my son."

They left the archway and walked along a path that wove itself through the trees. Van had been down this path many times. The forests in which they entered were considered a sacred area, no travelers dared enter. These were the nesting grounds of the land dragons which thrived in Fanelia, but it was also the only safe place where a Draconian could stretch their wings. This was the land where Folken and Van had learned how to fly. This was the land where they could fly without fear of being seen. As for the dragons, they left the Fanel's alone. As long as the dragons couldn't smell their fear, they would remain dormant.

Several minutes later, they reached a clearing where the earth turned to rock. At the edge of the cliff, one could look out onto the land dragon nesting grounds. Queen Varie stopped at this clearing and faced her son.

"It's a dangerous thing for a Draconian, exposing your secret. There's the great possibility of rejection by those you care about. Normally, a Draconian would flee to a new land and begin a new life, but this is not a luxury you have, my son. You risk a great deal more by sharing your secret. You risk the life of the person who discovers it. If they cannot accept it, then they are a threat to our family."

Van nodded. "I understand, mother." He knew all this. He expected his mother to ensure that he had thought the matter through.

Varie walked forward to the edge of the cliff and Van followed after.

"I spoke with Hitomi today, as you know. There were things about her I needed to know for myself, questions that needed answering." Varie faced her son. "Spread your wings before me, one last time."

Van pulled off his shirt. In a shining veil, he stretched out his wings. Pure white feathers danced around them in a whirlwind. Varie caught a large one from the air and held it gently in her hands.

"Hitomi loves you, Van. I could tell by the way she spoke of you. I don't believe she'll refuse you. Know this. She does not give her heart to you lightly. When you tell her, you must bring her here to this spot." Varie held out Van's feather and placed it in her son's hands. "Give this to her when you do. Until then, keep your wings within you."

Van looked questionably at the feather in his hands. "Why must I show her this? Shouldn't I just show her my wings?"

"The feather will be enough. Trust me." Varie smiled. "Now go on to bed. I'll be along shortly."

Van turned away and headed back into the forest, still a bit confused, but comforted.

Varie waited only a matter of minutes till another set of wings was visible in the sky. These belonged to her eldest son. He landed beside Varie, folded his wings, and smiled.

"You were right."

**AN: Oooooooooo…what could Folken and Varie be planning? I DON'T KNOW! …well…yes I do, but I'm not telling YOUUUUUUU! HAAAAAAA…… clears throat**

**Anywhooooooo, thank you all for being so patient, again. If I have it my way, there should be two, maybe three, chapters left. Hurray! I'm sure you all think you know what's going to happen: Van will tell Hitomi he's a draconian, she'll still love him, Allen will cry, and everyone will live happily ever after... well, sorry… no can do…**

**I have something more….er…interesting in mind….hmhhhhmmmmm….heh heh heh heh……MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!**

**Okay. Now it's time to review! Tell me what you think, or how you think the story will end. **

**Jaa**** Mata!**

**Love you Harry!**

**_Yugismpuzzle_******


	9. New Country

**AN: I'm back everyone! Sorry this took so long. You have no idea how much trouble this chapter gave me. I started writing it, hated where it was going, and decided to ditch it and start all over again. Sure, it was time consuming but I think this is a lot better. Also, I know I said before that there would only be two or three chapters till the ending…I changed my mind. I had a really cool idea and I'm changing how I originally planned to end this story. Now, there's going to be many more chapters…if I had to guess, I'd say at least five more. Hee hee…needless to say, I'm enjoying myself. Now, without further stalling, READ ON!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne. Nor do I own Tsubasa Chronicle. Funimation bought it recently and now I can't watch it with Torrent… sob**

**Chapter Nine: New Country**

'_This is so boring.' _Van thought for the eighteenth time…or was it the nineteenth? He couldn't remember. He was sitting at a long table observing alliance negotiations between Fanelia and Daken. Van didn't want to be there but his father insisted Van start attending important meetings such as this one. The country of Daken used to be a large city only a few days ride from the capital of Zaibach. But Daken fought for independence from is mother country and won it several months ago. They were now seeking trading partners and alliances with other countries. King Goau Fanel offered a hand of friendship to the new country and he was currently in the process of negotiating trade agreements and a military alliance. The country of Daken had skilled fighters but few numbers. Fanelia would provide extra support, when needed, and Daken would send some of its fighters to Fanelia to train Fanelia's troops with new battle tactics.

Daken was an admirable country, and resourceful as well, Van agreed. But the whole process of writing out the papers and making the unspoken agreements official was time consuming. An hour had alone been spent on writing out which trade routes food supplies would travel and which route textiles and weapons would take. It was tedious work and Van was glad not to be a part of it, but he wondered why he needed to be here at all. Van had nothing to contribute. Goau and Folken were handling things well enough on their own. It seemed to Van that his presence was merely a formality, to show Daken that they had Fanelia's attention. Still…

'…_when will this be over? We've agreed we're friends, so do I really need to stay for all of this? It's boring.'_

Van shifted in his chair and glanced at his brother. Once the attention of the Daken ambassadors had shifted to Goau, Folken returned Van's glare and grinned. Van frowned.

It was going to be a long day…

The sunset cast long dark shadows over Fanelia. Candles and lanterns were lit to provide glowing illumination and the representatives of Daken finally bid the Fanelian royal family farewell. Van was ready to go to bed but was stopped by his father's hand.

"Come with me, my son."

Van and Folken followed the King back into the chamber they had held the negotiations for several hours. The last place Van wanted to be was in this room for another hour. Whatever King Goau had to say, Van hoped he'd say it quick. Goau sat at his usual place at the head of the table. Van sat at his father's left, instead of the right, as if sitting in a different chair would make sitting down less uncomfortable. Folken sat next to Van.

"What did you think, Van?"

"Of Daken?"

Goau nodded.

"I think they'll make great allies. They're so close to Zaibach, we could use their location to our advantage if war ever broke out. And they seem trustworthy."

"True, but they're going to need a lot of help from us if they want to remain free." Folken added. "I doubt Zaibach will allow them to break off so easily, being so close to their borders. I wouldn't be surprised if Zaibach retaliated any day now."

Goau smiled at his sons. "Very good. Those were my thoughts as well. For the moment, I've arranged for a part of our army and two dozen guimelif units to go to Daken and help defend their borders. The ruler of Daken and I have agreed to a technology exchange as well."

"Exchange?" Van asked. He didn't remember hearing this during the negotiations, but he didn't remember much of anything to be completely honest. But Van wasn't about to say that in front of his father.

"Daken has agreed to share their limited knowledge of Zaibach's cloaking technology. It's not much, but it could help us defeat them, and possibly develop a stealth cloak of our own design."

Van raised his eyebrows. "Wow. That's amazing. But what technology does Fanelia have that would be useful to Daken."

Goau paused for a moment before responding. "How long, do you think, until your friend is finished building her flying machine?"

"Hit…Hitomi?" Van asked, taken aback by the sudden change in topic. "Well, I'm not sure. Maybe in a few weeks…"

"Could she do it in fourteen days?" Goau interrupted.

Van stared wide-eyed at his father, then at a non-responsive Folken, then back to his father again. "Fourteen…two weeks? Maybe she could do it but I don't know. I'd have to ask her."

"You go do that, now, before it gets too late. Tell me her answer when you get back." Goau nodded for Van to leave. He stood up automatically, though not really aware of what he was doing. It wasn't until he reached for the door handle that Van understood. He whirled around at his father.

"You want to trade Hitomi's flying machine to Daken?"

"A little slow on the uptake, aren't you Van?" Folken teased.

"I'm not slow." Van said, a little louder than intended. "I was just confused."

Folken shrugged. "Is there a difference?"

"You-"

"Van!" Goau cut short his son's bickering. "Go ask Hitomi if she will be finished in fourteen days, starting tomorrow. Go."

Van prayed on his way down to Hitomi's house that she'd still be awake. The sun had set hours ago, but Van didn't want to have to wake her up. His prayers were answered when Van saw lights on in the windows. Van ran the last leg to her house and knocked his fist against her door.

"Hitomi! Open up, it's Van. I have something important to tell you."

Van heard footsteps, the click as the door was unlocked, and a partially muffled comment. "Wow, I'm popular tonight." But when the door opened, Van found himself face to face with…

"Allen? What are you doing here?"

Allen's eyes narrowed. "I could ask you the same question."

"Where's Hitomi?" Van persisted.

"I'm right here." Allen backed away to reveal Hitomi standing a few paces back. "Come on in. _Allen _was just leaving." Hitomi shot Allen a dirty look.

"Actually, I think I'll stay. It sounds like Van has something _important_ to say. I wouldn't want to miss it."

Hitomi rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Hitomi motioned for Allen and Van to follow her into the sitting room. Hitomi sat on the sofa, Allen sat in an armchair next to a small table, and Van sat on the sofa next to Hitomi, much to the annoyance of the third party. Hitomi stifled a grin a moment too late. Allen cast his eyes suspiciously at Van. Hitomi saved Van the trouble of asking why Allen was at her house.

"He just came here to tell me he was leaving. He's on his way to the country of…_Daken_, I think? Yes, well, he's going there with some of Fanelia's troops to help train Daken's soldiers. Allen just wanted to let me know he'll be back in two weeks."

Van looked to Allen. "Good, you've saved me the trouble of explaining who Daken is." Van turned to Hitomi. "They're also the reason why I'm here."

Van explained as briefly as he could about the trade agreement King Goau made with Daken's new ruler. He told her that Daken's representatives would return to Fanelia in two weeks time, starting tomorrow, and asked if her flying machine would be ready by then. When he had finished, Van paused for a few seconds before adding, "My father would like an answer tonight."

"The King knows about Hitomi's flying machine? He's seen it?" Allen asked.

"He knows what I've told him about it, but no, he hasn't seen it. But he believes it could work. He really thinks this could help." Van added.

"But two weeks is not a lot of time," said Allen. "I saw that landing and it was far from smooth. She's lucky to be alive after a crash like that."

Van was about to protest but Hitomi's hand silenced him. "Allen's right. Two weeks isn't a lot of time. If I pushed it, I may be able to finish the repairs in one week, but that still leaves the test flights and the adjustments that'll need to be made after each run. Plus, if the weather goes bad, I may not be able to make any test flights. I'm assuming at the end of the two weeks, the King will want a demonstration in front of the Daken ambassadors. If I'm going to do that, I'll need to get my plans re-drawn so others can read it. My plans have so many notes and revisions it's a wonder _I_ can read it. I don't know…" Hitomi shook her head. Her eyes darted back and forth across the floor, seeing something Allen and Van couldn't. Her lips moved but no words came out.

"See, it can't be done." Allen announced in response to Hitomi's silence. "It's too much to ask from one person. Maybe if she was given more time. When I come back, I can assemble some of the best carpenters around to help finish this thing. I'll have someone _else_, someone who's trained to do the test flights…"

"No." Hitomi snapped. "No, this is my project. I'll do it alone. It _can_ be done."

"Hitomi, don't be unreasonable."

"I'm not being unreasonable. I can finish her in two weeks if I start tonight!" Hitomi stood up and walked to a shelf in the corner of the room.

"What!"

Hitomi threw down several large scrolls of paper on the table and began filing through them. "I can draw up the new plans tonight. Tomorrow morning I'll get an early start on those repairs. If I keep working on her while the sun's up, and there's enough light, she'll be ready at the end of the week."

"But you need to rest." Allen said, almost desperately, trying to snap Hitomi out of whatever she was in. "If you over exert yourself, you might make a mistake and get hurt."

"Don't worry. I'll rest when the sun goes down." Hitomi said without much concern. "I can only work when there's light anyway. I can start at dawn and end at dusk. When she's finished, I can do the test flights. Rain or shine, that thing's going in the air. I'll just have to be quick about the adjustments." Hitomi turned to Van. "I'll do it. Tell the King that in two weeks time, he'll have himself a good trade, but I have to start right now. Go and tell the King."

"No Van, don't." Allen commanded, just as Van was about to stand to leave. "Hitomi, you just promised me you wouldn't do anything rash while I was gone."

"I'm not being rash."

Allen gestured to the scribbled plans strewn across the table and the blank sheet that was in front of Hitomi. "What do you call this?"

"Doing something rash while _you're_ still here. See, I haven't broken my promise."

"Why are you doing this? Why won't you just give up this crazy…"

"It's my _dream_, Allen. I need to be up there, in the sky. It's who I am. I can't give up on that."

Van looked at Allen then at Hitomi. Suddenly, he felt the conversation had drifted away without him. They didn't seem aware of Van's presence.

"After all that's happened, can't you just keep your feet on the ground? After all you've been through; you want to go back…"

"Allen!" Hitomi silenced him before he could say another word. She glanced nervously in Van's direction. "I'm finishing what I started, end of discussion. I think it's time you left now."

Allen remained tense for a moment before resigning. "Fine. Do what you want."

Hitomi walked Van and Allen to the door. Van exited first. When he turned around, he saw each of Allen's hands resting on Hitomi's shoulders. He bent down and kissed her on the forehead before whispering something to her. The instant Allen walked through the doorway Hitomi slammed and locked the door. In the darkness, Van couldn't see Allen's face, but his chest burned nonetheless. Allen brushed passed him before leaving and Van had the sudden urge to draw his sword, but realized before reaching that he wasn't armed. Allen's footsteps faded in time and Van finally returned to the castle to deliver the news.

True to her word, the plans were re-drawn by the end of the night, and the major repairs to Medli were completed six days later. Each day, Hitomi would wake up at dawn, eat a quick breakfast, and get to work on her glider. In between lessons, Van would stop by the barn house and bring Hitomi lunch. She was so consumed in her work, she likely would have worked through the day without eating if it weren't for Van's insistence that she keep up her strength.

"Besides," Van would say, "I'd never hear the end of it from Allen if he came back and found you to be nothing but a sack of bones."

At the end of the day, when the sun had set and there was not enough light to work by, Hitomi would close the shed, eat dinner, and retire to bed. Some days, Van would have to tear her away from Medli.

"The sun is setting. You said you finished your project for the day. It's time to stop." Van reasoned while practically pulling Hitomi along by the arm.

"But I still have a little more time." Hitomi protested. "I could get a head start on…"

"No! You're done!" Van argued.

Komali, who was lounging in the grass nearby, clicked his beak loudly.

"See? He agrees with me." Van pointed out.

Hitomi sighed. "Between the two of you, I'll never get her in the air on time."

But in fact, Medli was finished on the sixth day with one hour to spare before the sun went down. Van invited Hitomi to the castle to have a "proper meal" with him and his family. Hitomi eagerly accepted.

"I need _real_ food!" Hitomi whined.

"Hey, I brought you food!" Van protested.

"But it was cold. I haven't had a nice warm meal in _forever_!"

Van rolled his eyes as he led her into the main dining hall of Fanelia's castle. As soon as they sat down and the food was presented, Hitomi wasted no time in filling her plate. King Goau arrived several minutes after dinner had started, excusing himself for being late on account of business with his advisors. When Goau asked Hitomi about her glider project, she informed him that she was ahead of schedule and that Medli would be ready in time. Van grinned to himself while listening. Hitomi spoke very formally and officially with his father. It was obvious she was trying to make a good impression. It was working. After she returned home, Goau commented about the air of authority she presented.

The following week was spent making repairs and test flights. For this process, Hitomi spent much of her time in the West, which was mostly farm country. By doing so, the risk of being spotted was smaller. She wanted to avoid attracting the attention of the main part of the city. Early in the morning, before the market was busy and before people left their homes to do their various activities, Hitomi carted her glider to the top of the lone-tree hill and took off to the West. Usually, Komali would tow her away with a length of rope when the wind was not cooperating. Because of the distance Hitomi traveled every morning and evening, Van was unable to visit her during the day. He was worried about her keeping her strength up. Because she was so far from him, he couldn't make sure she ate lunch. Van solved this problem quickly. Every morning, he'd wake up earlier and see her off, bringing with him a pack of rations to give to Hitomi. Each morning when he gave them to her, Van made Hitomi promise to stop to eat at around noon. He repeated this process with Komali, trusting him to look after her. Most evenings, he was unable to go and see her or wait for her to return, but in the mornings he'd get a report on what Hitomi had accomplished and what her goal for the day was.

Seven days went by in this similar pattern. The day before Daken's arrival, Van received permission from his instructors to take the day off to "observe Hitomi's progress." Only Balgus wasn't fooled but he gave Van permission anyway.

That morning, Van had planned to wake up slightly earlier than usual, but to his dismay, he woke up almost an hour late. Still partially asleep, he quickly dressed and dashed out of his room, startling a message carrier along the way.

"Sorry!"

Van mentally scolded himself for sleeping in, promising endless hours of physical pain if Hitomi had already left, yet at the same time, praying he'd be there on time. He emerged into the palace courtyard and continued on, running at top speed. The sun had already risen and a layer of mist swirled about the land. He was half tempted to sprout his wings and fly, but the risk of being spotted by an outsider was too great. Again, he cursed to himself.

"You're going to be late!" yelled one of the guards on the wall as Van ran through the gate and onto the open field.

Most of the palace guards had heard about Hitomi and her flying machine. About two dozen of them also knew about him being a draconian. The man who had shouted at Van was surely one of them. The guards who were trusted with the family's secret heritage tended to be on more familiar terms with the royal family than the rest of the palace guards.

The wind roared past Van's ears as he fought to pick up his pace. Hitomi had warned him earlier on that she would leave at sunrise no matter what. She didn't want to risk obvious exposure. Van's legs pumped and his lungs burned but he kept running. The stitch in his side was growing and Van began to involuntarily slow in his pace. After several agonizing minutes, he arrived at the base of the tree. Hitomi wasn't there. Van kicked the tree, earning a throbbing foot to add to his maladies. He slumped against the tree trunk and hissed. He stretched out his burning legs and put his hand to the stitch in his stomach, unable to ignore it any longer. He looked at his feet and stared blankly. His shoes were untied and each was on the wrong foot. Van began to laugh, unable to help himself.

He leaned forward to correct his shoes and as he was tying the laces, a piercing scream came from above him, shrill yet deep. The sound reverberated in Van's chest. The mist swirled before him and a large shadow appeared. With a thud, something hit the grass and cautiously approached Van.

Komali picked his way over to the prince of Fanelia carefully.

"I'm sorry I was late. I got here as fast as I could but Hitomi's already left, hasn't she?"

Komali tossed his head to the side and puffed his feathers. The morning mist had coated his body, giving his feathers a glossy look.

"And I forgot to bring food!" Van exclaimed, just remembering. "I'm pretty much useless today, huh?"

The Dragonbird nudged at Van with his head and ruffled his feathers again, this time with an air of impatience.

Van frowned. Communication with Komali was improving but in this instance, Van wasn't sure what the Dragonbird was trying to tell him.

Van looked Komali strait in the eye. "I don't understand."

Komali stretched out his wings to their full length, an impressive sight that never failed to humble those who watched, and clicked his beak.

Van shook his head. "I can't do that. Not yet."

Komali growled and Van felt his insides turn icy.

"I will tell her, just not right now, not here."

Van grew fearful as Komali's agitation continued to grow into what Van could only assume was anger. The Dragonbird's feathers swelled, giving the impression of growing larger, and his beak opened and closed repeatedly in quick snaps as if he were fighting back the temptation to take a bite out of Van's flesh. Van knew he needed to compromise with the Dragonbird quickly if he wanted to avoid a potentially fatal conflict.

"Alright, alright! I'll tell her tomorrow after the demonstration!" Komali calmed slightly but still looked skeptical. "I'll tell her after her test flight when the pressure is gone. I'm not going to give her one more thing to worry about." Komali's fierce eyes pierced Van's. "I promise."

The Dragonbird considered him for what seemed like an eternity before bowing his head in acceptance. Van let out an audible sigh.

"Thank you."

Komali lowered himself to the ground in the same manner Van had seen him do before Hitomi would ride on him. Van walked over and carefully clambered onto Komali's back, careful not to pull any of his feathers. No sooner did Van mount when Komali sprang forward, stretched his wings and took off into the air. Van barely had time to grab a hold of Komali's neck to prevent himself from falling.

Flying on Komali's back was very different from flying on his own set of wings. For one thing, gravity was foremost on his mind. There was nothing to hold onto except Komali's neck and Van didn't fancy falling off and exposing his heritage to the world. That aside, the journey was enjoyable. Any excuse to get back in the sky was enough to lighten Van's spirits. Wind washed over him in great waves, passing over, under, and through him. Once again, he was one with the sky.

When they finally broke through the mist, Van spotted Hitomi's glider almost instantly. She was just about a mile ahead of them. Komali flapped his wings faster and they quickly gained on the wing glider. When they were side by side, Komali emitted a shriek to get Hitomi's attention. Hitomi turned to look at them and surprise was written on her face. Van managed to wave quickly before resuming his death grip on Komali's neck. Van had thought that Hitomi would be happy to see him but the look she gave him was of fearful concern.

"Just hold on a little longer!" Hitomi shouted above the roar of the wind. "Komali, you go on ahead."

"Wait-"

Komali dropped suddenly and soon, they were enveloped in mist. Now Van began to worry. He didn't know much about Dragonbirds but he hoped Komali could see through the fog. Van couldn't. Several minutes passed as they flew through oceans of swirling white mist which occasionally thinned enough that he could see several yards in front of him. When the clouds disappeared and the sun broke through, Van could see that they were flying over rolling hills with thousands of thin trees. Mountains dotted the land turning it into a maze. Komali continued to descend towards one such mountain that had a large clearing at the foot of it. They landed with a thud and Van almost fell off from the abrupt halt. Van dismounted and recalled the familiar feeling of the earth moving underneath him even though he was no longer in the air. He adapted quickly and scanned the skies for Hitomi's glider.

She emerged from between two mountains and began a downward spiral towards the flat clearing. She was still going too fast; faster, in fact, than that night when she made her first crash landing. He watched her carefully as she flew closer and closer to the earth. Hitomi leveled out and sped across the grass, creating ripples in her wake. When her legs were only a few feet away from the ground, Van caught sight of the wind resistors popping up. In a matter of seconds, her speed decreased dramatically and she seemed to float to the ground. Her feet touched down and began to run across the grass, slowing her momentum, and eventually coming to a complete stop.

Van ran over to where Hitomi had landed. When he got there, Hitomi had already climbed out of the glider and was rushing over to him.

"Where were you earlier?" she shouted.

"I'm sorry. I woke up late."

"Well you better not do that again. A prince of Fanelia should never be late." Hitomi jumped up and embraced Van. "You scared me half to death! What were you thinking, flying all the way out here?"

"I came to observe your progress." Van said innocently. Hitomi glared at him, searching for a hidden agenda. "Hey, I have permission. It's not like I've run away or anything. Stop staring at me like that!"

"So _I _had nothing to do with your decision? You're here only to 'observe my progress', is that it?"

Van shrugged his shoulders. "Sure."

Hitomi took a careful step backwards. "I see. So you being here is strictly business, _your highness_?"

Van flinched at the sound of his title. "Alright already, I came to see you. Are you happy now?"

Hitomi smiled triumphantly. "Very much so." She gestured behind her towards Medli. "So, what do you think? Much better landing than before?"

"Yes. You not crashing at full speed is definitely a good sign."

"Folken's idea was great. I wouldn't have pulled it off without him. Medli's just about ready for show and tell."

"So, what are you doing to her today?"

"I've already got her speed up faster than I originally hoped, so that's a bonus. But for today, I'm trying to cut down on the noise. Medli's a little on the noisy side which is no good if Daken wants to snoop around. Medli's already light in weight, faster than anything could be expected, and now I want her quiet as a hummingbird." Hitomi paused for a moment and considered Van carefully. "You didn't bring any food."

Van grinned. "No, I didn't."

Hitomi crossed her arms and pouted. "You came all the way out here and you didn't bring anything to eat?"

Van pointed at her accusingly. "Hey, you're supposed to be taking care of yourself. Why didn't _you_ bring anything?"

"You're the one who kept bringing me food. Why should I do it when I know you will?"

"That's because I knew you wouldn't pack anything for yourself!"

Hitomi's eyes grew wide. "So the truth comes out."

Van rolled his eyes. "You get to work on Medli. I'll go find us something to eat."

"Fine." Hitomi said smugly.

For the next several hours while Hitomi worked on her hang glider, Van traveled the hills and gathered a bundle of edible roots and berries. The only weapon he carried was his sword, which was no good for hunting. Van returned after noon and shared his spoils with Hitomi, who was so absorbed in her work that as soon as she swallowed her last bite, she was working again. Van took this time to search for a water source. He carried with him a single small water skin, large enough for one person. When he found a freshwater stream, he drank his fill and captured some to bring back to Hitomi, who accepted it graciously.

For the rest of the day, Van lay in the shade of the trees next to a lounging Komali. Van hadn't realized he had fallen asleep until Hitomi shook him awake.

"I would think you'd have had enough sleep today."

Van laughed. "Yeah, you'd think."

Hitomi released an exhausted sigh and plopped down on the grass beside him, stretching her sore muscles. "I am done."

Van sat up quickly, making his head spin slightly. "What do you mean you're done? You mean Medli's finished?"

Hitomi smiled and nodded in satisfaction. "There's nothing else I can do to her. She's as ready as she'll ever be for tomorrow."

"That's wonderful!" Van exclaimed until he saw that Hitomi wasn't sharing his enthusiasm. "Isn't it?"

Hitomi looked at the grass around her feet sadly. "I thought it was. For the past several years, all I've ever thought about was this project and getting it to work. I just wanted to be able to fly…"

She left the sentence unfinished. Van studied her carefully. He reached for her hand but she flinched at the touch.

"Hitomi, what's wrong."

Hitomi took a deep shuddering breath, fighting to keep her voice steady. "If this demonstration works out tomorrow, I may not be in Fanelia much longer."

"What do you mean?"

"Daken will need me to go to their country and teach them how to build and pilot my glider."

Van paused. Indeed, he hadn't thought about that. "But you wouldn't be gone for too long…"

"I'll have to live there, Van! Teaching people to fly is not something that can be done over night. It may take years to develop those kinds of skills."

"You learned in only a couple weeks. They can do the same."

"I'm only one person, Van. I'm going to have to teach them one at a time. A few weeks times a hundred people is a lot of years. And I may have to teach more than that. I'll also need to supervise the building of these gliders…Van, when I go to Daken, I'm going for good."

Van felt the tinge of panic began to creep over him. He could see the trap that lay before him and he chastised himself that he hadn't thought of this sooner. Never before had a situation run away from him like this without him being able to control some part of it.

"I can't expect you to wait for me assuming I'd ever come back." Hitomi continued. "Your responsibilities lie here in Fanelia."

"Stop it! Don't say that!"

Hitomi refused to look him in the eye. "It's time we ended this."

"No!" Van shouted, getting angry now. "Don't make it sound like it's so hopeless. We can make it work."

"No we can't, Van. You're a prince of Fanelia. I'm just a…"

"I don't care about stupid titles and you know that!" Van challenged, his voice rising. "Stop pushing me away and tell me what's really…"

"Please Van, just let me go!" Hitomi cried. "Just forget you ever knew me!"

Hitomi jumped up and was about to dart away when Van caught her wrist and held her back. He forced her to look him in the eyes and he pleaded with her using all of his strength. He would not give her up so quickly. He would fight.

"I'm not letting you go that easily. Tell me what's wrong. You can't just shut someone out in an instant. You were fine earlier today. What's changed in the last few hours?"

Hitomi shook her head, looking almost terrified, wanting to look away but unable to break his gaze. "I've been thinking…"

Something else was wrong, he could tell. If only she'd just tell him…

"What have you been thinking about?"

"I can't do this!" She tore her arm away from him and put several yards distance between them.

Van leapt up to his feet. "Hitomi!"

Again, her back was to Van so she wouldn't have to look at him. "Allen's probably going to ask me to marry him tomorrow if the demonstration goes well. Then he'd be reassigned to station himself in Daken so he can live with me." She said it all very quickly as if it would hurt less to do so. Van on the other hand didn't believe a word of it.

"You can't marry him!"

Hitomi shuddered. "It's the right thing to do."

"For who? You or Allen?" Van growled. "What did he say to you?"

Hitomi dashed away from the tree line and towards Medli, reaching it in seconds. Van quickly gave chase, shouting her name, but by the time he reached her, she was airborne and flying back towards Fanelia. Van whirled around in panic casting around for Komali. The Dragonbird wasn't there. Van was left Helpless as Hitomi's silhouette shrank in size as she flew away.

An hour later, Komali appeared and took Van back to the castle. He ignored the reproachful look he received from the Dragonbird.

"I'm not giving up on her."

**AN: Ahhh…..doesn't finishing a chapter feel good? Actually, I wrote this whole thing on my laptop and had to re-type the whole thing, just so I could post it. Needless to say, my fingers REALLY hurt right now…Also, I must apologize. This chapter was actually twice as long as this one but I decided to split it into two chapters. When I finish re-typing the second section (I need a break!) I'll post that one too. Thank you all for being faithful readers! And for you new ones, thanks for joining me and I hope you like it so far! Let me know what you think!**

**Be back soon!**


	10. Fight and Flight

**AN: I HATE TYPING! My hands hurt, see! shows bandaged and swollen fingers Waaaahhhh……Kyo hit me! Kyo walks in _I DID NOT! _ Anywho, here is the chapter I've been looking forward to writing ever since I started this project. Originally, I was going to end this story around where this chapter ends, but then I had a burst of inspiration, ditched the original ending, and added a little something else…but I'm not going to tell you what that is…Now, go ahead and read and I'll rant and rave at the end.**

**Reveiwers: It's been so long since I've expressed my appreciation to my wonderful reviewers, so I decided to answer all those who reviewed for chapter 9. Thank you all who read but didn't review, anyway…**

**Hopeful Wings – Fast enough for you? As soon as I received your review I realized, "Oh, I should probably post that chapter now." So it's all thanks to you for reminding me! Arigatou!**

**Newbie GK – Actually, you're right on! Congratulations to you! In fact, some of your questions get answered in this very chapter, so I hope you like it. Sorry about the confusion, about Hitomi's family and all. More of that will be explained in the next chapter, but I re-read it myself, and there's a few critical typos in that chapter that make all the difference. Thanks for the review!**

**Serena Tsunami – I'm glad you love it. I love it too…..sniff _I want a Dragonbird…._**

**JoJo** – **Well…you're right, but there's a reason for that. Hopefully, this chapter explains a bit, but even more will be explained in the following chapter. So stay tuned!**

**Dimension Guardian – Thanks for reading/reviewing. Enjoy!**

**Maki-no-Tamma – Heh heh…judging by your review, I think you'll _especially _love this chapter…**

**Tigger093061 – LOL….I have an enthusiastic reviewer! Well, here it is. Sorry I couldn't post it sooner. It's for the common good…**

**Blitz KriegHerr – Okay, it's here…NOW**

**Avalyn** **Lauren – No…it's too new for floppy discs and too old to have a CD burner……sigh**

**Aefrae21 - …Just slightly evil…I post in my own good time…heh heh heh….**

**Kute** **Anime Kitty – LOL, I've done that before, and my teacher told me to "settle down". Thanks for reading. I'm happy that _you're _happy! HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!**

**Inda** – **Hello again! Yeah, tell me about it…But no worries. This story has a happy ending…I'm just not saying _how_ happy…**

**The Spiked Dragon – Thanks for the review. If you thought _that _was exciting, wait till you see this next chapter…and the next one…LOL**

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**Flaire321 – Thanks for the encouragement! Happy reading! And my hands are grateful for your concern…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne but Funimation still owns Tsubasa Chronicle and they're going to dub it…_and _the movie……I'm scared…_hold me…_**

**Chapter Ten: Fight and Flight**

That evening and most of the following day, Hitomi managed to successfully avoid bumping into Van. She even managed to meet with Goau without Van's knowledge until almost an hour afterward. When Van asked his father about her whereabouts, he provided a vague answer that she was preparing the demonstration for that evening and to wait until then if Van needed to speak to her.

"In the meantime, go fetch your brother for me."

Van stormed around the castle, fuming while occasionally glancing into random rooms, looking for Folken. Frustrated, he stopped at the foot of a staircase and sat down to sort out his thoughts. He silently agreed after a while that it would be best to talk to Hitomi after the demonstration. Whatever problems they were having now would have to wait. The last thing Van wanted was for Hitomi to lose concentration while flying her glider. Yes, he'd talk to her _after_ her flight.

Van stood and resumed his search for Folken, feeling slightly more relaxed than before. Van turned a corner and all of his anger and frustration came back ten fold. Allen Shezare was walking toward him from the other end of the passageway.

"What did you tell her?" roared Van.

"I'm sorry. What are you talking about?" Allen replied, looking politely puzzled.

Van quickened his pace. "What did you say to Hitomi?"

"About what?"

Face to face now, Van stopped and glared up at the knight. "Stop playing games! You know what I'm talking about."

Allen glanced around, seeing that they were alone, and nodded, abandoning his confused expression. "Very well, Van. I won't lie to you. I told her to give up on you, that there was no future for her here with you, and that she should stay with me."

"She doesn't belong with you and I care more about her than you ever will."

Allen merely smiled. "Regardless of how you feel for Hitomi, she can't be with you. You're too different from her. I've known her for most of her life. You've only known her for a few weeks. What are you going to do? Ask her to marry you?"

"I just might."

Allen smirked and pushed past Van. "Don't worry. I'll take care of her."

"She doesn't need you to take care of her."

As the afternoon approached, the entire city erupted in celebration at Daken's arrival. Their caravan paraded through the streets towards the castle. Fanelia's denizens applauded and cheered as Daken's leaders passed by, welcoming the new country which had stood up against Zaibach and won their freedom. The King, Queen, and two Princes of Fanelia met the new King Daken at the palaces' front gate to formally welcome them to Fanelia and to offer their hand in friendship. There was an exchange of gifts from both sides. Goau received a number of fine handmade garments, jewelry, pottery, and woven baskets. In return, Daken received equally splendid gifts, though most were weapons, something Folken thought Daken would accept most graciously.

The festivities continued in the palace until just before sundown. Daken brought a prototype of the Zaibach's stealth cloak, making a Fanelian guimelif unit disappear. After the applause and praise of Daken's accomplishment had settled down, King Goau announced that it was his turn to present his final gift. He asked that everyone's attention turn to just above the western wall. Van especially looked eagerly at the sky, anticipating what would surely happen. _This is it._

The crowd stood silent, hearing only the blowing of the wind. A few turned to their partners, whispering, wondering what they were waiting for. Silently, a large shadow leaped out and over the wall, darting over the crowd. A few of the women screamed while others wondered if they were under attack. The flying object streamed passed them and was gone in a matter of seconds.

King Goau laughed, "Please, ladies and gentlemen. There is nothing to worry about. Just watch as she makes another pass."

True to his word, the object came flying overhead once again, though not as quickly or as close to the ground as before. It flew over the heads of the observers, allowing them to study it in more detail before veering away. Just as graceful as she had done the day before, Hitomi landed her glider a few dozen yards away from the congregation. King Goau led King Daken and a dozen others to where the glider had landed. Van almost didn't follow until Folken nudged him hard in the back. Van walked with the group, though he kept at least a step behind his brother.

As they drew close, Hitomi stood by her glider and bowed respectfully to the two Kings.

"Greetings King Daken, King Goau. I hope I'm not late."

Goau laughed. "Not at all, thank you. King Daken, may I present to you Lady Hitomi and her flying machine, Medli."

Daken nodded towards Hitomi. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Lady Hitomi. I am also very impressed with your display just now."

The King soon launched into a series of questions about Medli's capabilities, all of which Hitomi was happy to answer and demonstrate to the new friends of Fanelia. While Hitomi entertained questions on all sides, Van couldn't help but be painfully aware that she was avoiding his gaze. It didn't take long for Folken to catch on too. He eased away from the front of the throng and stood beside his younger brother.

"What's going on between you and Hitomi?" Folken whispered.

"Nothing."

"Yes, that I can see. Why is nothing happening? Are you two fighting?"

"Sort of. I can't talk about it right now."

Folken sighed. "Fine."

Once the sun had fully set, Goau called for an end to the questions "for now" and to move the festivities inside for a banquet and a dance. Van managed to catch sight of Hitomi's beaming face as King Daken bowed slightly in her direction after thanking her for her time before Van was swept away with everyone else as they moved indoors. The glider was left where it was, at the center of the courtyard, allowing anyone who wished to view it again at another time.

In the dining hall, extra tables had been set up to accommodate everyone. The food was splendid, though Van took little notice. He kept glancing around, trying to find where Hitomi was sitting. Just as he was about to ask his father, one of Daken's generals, who had been very interested in Hitomi's flying machine, asked about her whereabouts. Goau joked about the general's motive to asking the poor girl more difficult questions and informed him that Hitomi would not be eating with them that night. She was changing into more appropriate attire and would return after the banquet, in time for the ball.

"Then, General Lark, you can ask all the questions you want." Goau finished. General Lark nodded and raised his glass to the King.

Van impatiently counted the minutes it took for the meal to be finished, silently praying that his father would excuse them all to the main hall soon. When he finally did so, Van waited for several of the others to stand first, so not to seem rude. As one, everybody left the dining hall and followed the torch lit passageways to a grand ballroom on the second floor. One side of the room led to a large balcony, looking out over Fanelia. When people emerged into the ballroom, a small orchestra started playing a waltz. The King and Queen of Fanelia and Daken walked to the center of the room and opened the dance. One by one, other couples moved to join them until the room was a mass of circling bodies.

Van remained on the outside, watching carefully for a familiar face. This would be his only opportunity to talk to Hitomi. He still wasn't sure what he was going to say. All he knew was that he had to try something or he would lose her. The waltz ended and some of the couples left the main floor. Most stayed behind to continue in the next dance. By the fourth dance, the congregation had spread all over the castle. Most were in the ballroom, to socialize and get acquainted with the visiting country. Some moved out to the balcony to talk where the music wasn't as loud. Others merely moved away from the dancing, untroubled by the continuous music. Some couples paired off to secret corners of the castle.

Van circled the room, scanning faces, occasionally exchanging greetings to Fanelia's guests, and looking to see if Hitomi had come in without him noticing. Finally he found her at the top of the staircase that came from the third floor. Immediately, he weaved through the crowd to reach her. When he emerged and reached the foot of the stairs, Van stopped and stared in awe.

Step by step, Hitomi descended the stairs, lifting up the front of her pink dress, rippling behind her as she did so. She stopped when she reached the bottom and was hesitant to make eye contact, but instead focused somewhere on his chest. Van decided to break the uncomfortable silence that had crept between the two.

"For someone who doesn't like to wear dresses, you wear one nicely."

Hitomi allowed a soft smile. "Your mother…"

"Good evening, Lady Hitomi. May I have this dance?"

Allen had appeared from somewhere behind Van and was separating him from Hitomi. Allen took Hitomi's hand and confidently guided her away towards the dance floor without a word to Van. Hitomi didn't fight him though Van caught an uncertain glance from her before she disappeared in the crowd of dancers. Van locked the image of her face in his mind, giving him encouragement. Hitomi was still uncertain. There was still hope.

For the next several dances, Van scanned the crowd, stopping occasionally to converse with small clusters of people and to have a drink. All awhile he kept a careful watch on the two dancers. Several times he saw Allen whisper secret words in Hitomi's ear and that she would, in turn, nod her head or comment back. Allen kept his eyes locked on Hitomi at all times, holding her possessively, and steered her away from others who tried to ask her to dance.

The glass in Van's hand shattered, drawing startled glances from those around him. He apologized sincerely, insisting it was an accident, and made his escape as a servant arrived to clean the mess. He dashed outside on the deserted balcony, breathing in the cooler air. He gripped the stone railing and felt the dampness of the wine on his gloves. He hastily ripped them off his fingers and tossed them into the shadows.

"What a waste. Gloves don't grow on trees you know."

"Leave me alone Folken."

Folken ignored his younger brother's remark and leaned on the stone railing next to him. "Hitomi's in there, not out here."

"She's with Allen right now."

"And that's a problem?"

"I want to talk to her alone."

"Well then steal her away. Cut in. Allen can't refuse the prince of Fanelia."

Van said nothing. He gazed out into the night and breathed in deep the refreshing air, letting it wash over him. He couldn't face Hitomi like this, not with a temper. He needed to be calm. This wasn't something he could fight Allen about. Van needed to be calm to out smart him.

"Here." Folken placed a clean pair of gloves on the railing. "Put these on when you're ready to go back in."

Van stared. "Why do you have a second pair of gloves with you?"

Folken shrugged his shoulders and walked back inside.

The evening was half over when Van finally emerged from his confinement. He strode through the dancers and conversers with an air of confidence. He had a plan. By now, Allen and Hitomi would have stopped dancing, so Van looked to the tables that lined the walls for his target. As he looked around, he spotted his brother who was making strait for him. _Not now, Folken._

Van spotted them in the corner, sitting at a table with one of the Daken generals, the same one who had taken a keen interest in Hitomi's glider. Both of them were talking quickly and Hitomi's smile indicated that she was enjoying herself. Allen sat, somewhat forgotten and looking bored on Hitomi's other side. Van almost felt sorry for having to tear Hitomi away when she was finally enjoying herself, but this was the most opportune moment. Just before Van reached their table, Allen spotted Van and tensed.

"…carry more than one person? It would come in handy in a rescue situation." General Lark noticed Van and stood. "Good evening, Lord Van. I was just asking Lady Hitomi about her glider. She's a brilliant engineer, if I may say so…Ah, good evening, Lord Folken."

Folken took a place beside his brother. "Good evening General Lark, Hitomi, Allen." Folken greeted, shaking each of their hand's in turn before uttering quietly so only his brother would hear. "Mother wants to speak to you."

"In a minute." Van whispered back. With polite determination on his face, Van extended his hand towards Hitomi. "Shall we dance, Lady Hitomi?"

Hitomi hesitated for only an instant when General Lark piped in.

"Please, Lady Hitomi. My questions have kept you from enjoying this evening. Go on while I get to know your escort." He said, gesturing towards Allen.

With nothing else to do, Hitomi placed her hand in Vans' and allowed herself to be led into the dance. A Fanelian ballad began to play and Van offered a silent prayer of gratitude. A quick song was too physically demanding to have a private conversation and Van wasn't much of a dancer. He slowly swung Hitomi around, put his hand lightly on her waist, and they began to dance. Van looked quickly at the table he had visited and saw that Allen was missing. He looked the other way and found him circling the edges of the dancers. Van would only be given this one dance.

"Are you going to tell me what is bothering you?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me. I want to help you, Hitomi, but I can't unless you tell me what's going on."

"Nothing's going on. I just wanted to tell you that I was leaving and that it would be best for us to move on."

"Is that what you really want or is that Allen talking?"

Hitomi winced at the edge in Van's voice. He realized his temper was rising again and took the opportunity to lead Hitomi into a spin while he clamed down.

"Do you want to marry him?" Van said softly.

"It's the right thing to do." She said with a note of resignation.

"That's not what I asked."

As they danced, Van caught sight of Folken gesturing for him to go over to their mother. He was also aware that Allen was keeping a careful watch of their locations. As soon as the song was over…

"Do you love him?"

"Yes, I do." She said firmly.

"What about me?"

Hitomi hesitated before answering. "I don't…"

"Do you love me?" Van asked urgently when she didn't finish her sentence.

The song ended and Van caught a glimpse of Allen quickly making his way over to them.

"What do you want me to do?"

Van pulled Hitomi close enough to feel her tremble and whispered in her ear. "Don't say yes." He pleaded. "Please don't marry him."

Van climbed the small raised platform where the Queen sat and stood by her right shoulder. Looking out, Van could see his father speaking with King Daken. Folken and General Lark sat alone engaged in deep conversation. Allen and Hitomi stood near the center of the room, swaying to the rhythm of the music.

"I was going to ask why you weren't dancing with Hitomi, but I see you've already done that."

"I was a little late in coming." Van agreed.

"Do you like the dress I picked out for her?"

"Yes, mother."

"Why do you sound so sad?"

Van looked out longingly at the Fanelian girl. "I worry that she's about to throw her life away."

"Do you really think she'd do that on purpose?"

Van shook his head. "Normally, no I wouldn't. But I don't know what she's thinking anymore. Something's wrong and she won't tell me."

Varie took her sons' hand in hers and looked him in the eye. "Believe in her. She's a smart woman. She'll make the right choice. See?"

Van looked back at the dancing mass and watched as a woman in pink escaped the throng and rushed up the stairs to the third floor. Still entangled in the crowd, Allen was trying to hurry after her. Van looked to his mother, surprise etched on his face.

"What's happened?"

"Go. Find her before _he_ does." She said with a kind smile.

Van kissed his mother on the cheek and thanked her before dashing behind a nearby curtain which concealed a hidden corridor…

Van flew up the staircase to the third floor and rushed down every passageway, looking around from place to place so quickly that his head spun. He opened every door he could find, trying to predict where Hitomi would have run off to. When he was sure that he had searched the entire floor thoroughly, he ran down to the second floor. Thinking that she may have tried to leave the castle, Van took a shortcut towards the main entrance and started backtracking. Twice, he ran passed visitors and other Fanelians who gave Van curious glances when he asked if they had seen a woman in a pink dress run by. Van cast his eyes around, liked down torch lit corridors, and listened carefully for running footsteps.

The crash of a door, followed by quick footfalls caught his attention and Van followed it. The sound grew louder as Van drew closer to it. A figure appeared ahead of him and skid to a stop. Hitomi stood a pace away from Van, wide eyed and breathing deeply.

"Van, I…"

The echo of Hitomi's name rang from behind the Fanelian girl and sent her running again. Before she could get away, Van grabbed her arm to stop her.

"He's looking for me." Hitomi whispered. "We need to get out of here."

"You don't need to be afraid. We'll face him."

"No, you mustn't!" she pleaded.

"He can't do anything to you. I'm right here."

The crashing of another door reached them, this one closer. Hitomi flinched, suppressing the urge to run away.

"Please Van!"

Footsteps were approaching quickly. Hitomi's body was taut, ready to bolt.

Van took Hitomi's hand. "Follow me."

Van led her speedily away into the depths of the castle. His foremost object was to get Hitomi out of the castle through the side entrance, but when Van stopped to listen, the footsteps were still upon them. Van ran faster and quickly changed direction, heading for the rear of the castle. Once they were outside, they would likely lose their pursuer in the dense trees. Beyond that was the secret trail that led to the Land Dragon breeding grounds. No man dared enter the dragon's domain, making it the perfect place for them to hide. Van did his best to keep away from the heavily used passageways to avoid being spotted. Though they had gained some ground when Van changed direction, Allen would not give up so easily.

Van and Hitomi dashed out of the castle and into the night. Far off to their left, the party continued on merrily.

They had to slow to a brisk walk when they hit the trees. Van ordered Hitomi to keep a tight hold of his hand. It was easy to get lost in the thick patch of trees, especially at night. Hitomi obeyed without a word. Several minutes passed when Van finally crossed the trail and guided Hitomi along it. They were running again, though not as fast as before. The sounds of their pursuer had long since vanished. They didn't stop until the trees around them vanished and the rich soil became solid rock. Van had brought Hitomi to the same cliff his mother had commanded him to take Hitomi when he was ready to tell her his secret. But that day was not today, despite his promise to Komali.

"This is as safe a place as any. My family and I are the only one's who know how to get here."

"It's beautiful." Hitomi approached the edge of the precipice. "We're in the Taboo lands, aren't we?"

"Yes. This cliff marks the border to the dragon nesting grounds." Hitomi turned to look at Van, questioning. "We're perfectly safe. They will not harm us as long as you're not afraid or angry." Van took both of Hitomi's hands into his. "What happened back there with you and Allen?"

Hitomi's gaze fell to the ground. Slowly, she shook her head.

"Tell me!" Van urged. "I can't help you unless you tell me what's happened."

"Allen asked me to marry him and I told him no."

Van breathed an audible sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"I couldn't do it. I couldn't say yes. What you said to me earlier, I couldn't get it out of my head. It was like you were standing right there next to me. I told him no and he got angry. He said that if I didn't say yes, he would tell you my secret…and I told him…not if _I _tell you first." Tears began falling down her face. Van had never seen Hitomi cry before and the change startled him. Suddenly, he didn't know what to do. Van never felt Hitomi slip her hands out of his. She took a cautious step backwards toward the edge of the cliff. "There's something I haven't told you, Van, and I pray that you can forgive me."

Hitomi continued to take backward steps till only a foot length separated her from the abyss below. Van made to stop her but she held up her hand and Van stayed where he was. Because the cliff edge rose higher as it got closer to the tip, Hitomi stood at least a head taller than Van though only a couple strides would close the distance between them. At this time, Hitomi quickly raised her hands to her face and wiped away any trace of tears and tried to compose herself in a sort of dignified demeanor. Even now, Van thought, she was trying to be strong. She let her arms rest at their sides, breathed deeply, and then, in an instant, her face briefly flickered of momentary pain as her shoulders hunched over…

'…_I know this…'_

…and out from behind her blossomed a great pair of stunningly white wings. Stray feathers caught up in the wind and brushed past Van with light, soft touches, so thick that for a moment, she disappeared from sight. At last she reappeared with a melancholy expression.

"I'm a Draconian."

**AN: Finally! I've been looking forward to writing this scene, and what comes next, ever since I started this fic. Now that I'm here, I'M SO EXCITED! But sadly, I must leave you here. I have not yet finished the next chapter, but I have already written a good chunk of it. Some of you guessed before hand that Hitomi was a Draconian…and now that you know……KUDOS FOR YOU! And for those of you who had different theories, I applaud you for trying and I'm happy I was able to stun a couple of you. Otherwise, this wouldn't have been any fun at all. **

**But please, let me know of your reactions during this chapter. I want to know EVERYTHING! smile**

**Love You Sis! **


	11. Farewell for a While

**AN: This is becoming a reoccurring theme……I'm so sorry this took so long! I thought this chapter would be easy, but I got stuck so many times. But at least it's finally here…as the story comes closer to its end…that's right everyone, it's almost over! But I'll talk more at the end of the chapter. After all, I'm sure you're all anxious to see what happened after that _horrible _cliff hanger I gave you last time. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne or Fly Away Home or any music owned by the people who own those shows… _what is it with me and birds…_**

**Chapter Eleven: Farewell for a While**

'_Say something you idiot!'_

Van stood aghast at Hitomi, unsure of what to say. He stared at her wings which shown brilliantly like they had been kept in hiding for too long. Her eyes were still swollen from the tears she had shed, but they glimmered magnificent green. At her sides, her arms dangled freely, not crossed or hiding her face in shame. Her entire countenance screamed "This is who I am. Please accept me."

'_She's a Draconian too!'_

The absurdity of the idea astounded Van. He had always believed that his family was the last of the Draconians in this part of Gaea. Yet there stood another right in front of him, and for some mysterious reason, Van couldn't seem to utter any words, so great was his astonishment. Later, he would look back on that moment and appreciate Hitomi's patience with him, for who knows how long he stood there, staring at her with a single, unwavering expression. Anyone else in that situation would have long fled into the night, full of despair, before Van managed to gain his bearings.

Thankfully, Van became right again and got a hold of himself.

He approached Hitomi and didn't stop till he was close enough to hear her breathing, though because of the incline, she still stood taller than him by an inch or so. She opened her mouth and started to speak but Van silenced her with a brief kiss and wrapped his arms around her, feeling her wings against his arms. Hitomi stood still for a moment but recovered from her shock quickly to return the embrace.

For a long while they stayed that way, clinging to one another in the night. Van let her stay that way, knowing what a relief she must be feeling to have finally told her secret to him. In the end, she had beaten him to the punch. He was the one who was supposed to agonize over how she would react when he exposed his wings but Hitomi had taken that burden upon herself.

'_Now it's my turn…'_

He turned his head and spoke in her ear. "Now _I _have to tell _you _something…" Van reached within his tunic and produced a white feather, which he had been carrying with him every day, and placed it in Hitomi's hands. "It's a Draconian feather."

She stroked it gently, examining, and spun it at the stem. "Yes, I see, but it's not mine…"

"No. It came from me." Hitomi stopped spinning the feather to look up in disbelief. "I am also a Draconian."

Silence crept in for a few brief seconds before Hitomi stuttered, "Wha…What? No you're not. You can't be a…" she looked down at the feather in her hand.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before."

She looked up at him again. "You…_You_ too!"

"Yes." Van said with a smile.

Hitomi moaned and sank into him "All this time and I worried for nothing!" she laughed a little. "What a waste of energy."

Van laughed. "You could have told me sooner."

Hitomi jerked her head up. "Me tell _you _sooner? Why didn't _you_ tell _me_? That could have saved me all this trouble!"

"I didn't want to pressure you like that! I wanted you to be clear-headed for tonight…"

"A lot of good that did. All I could think about up there was should I tell you or shouldn't I? I was a wreck!"

"Well, you did a great job at hiding it. You maneuvered Medli flawlessly."

"Thanks. I think King Daken liked it too, and it sounds like they really need my glider."

Van agreed. "It'll give them an advantage against Zaibach and help them to protect their borders."

Hitomi let her wings dissolve in the wind with a relieved sigh and picked up one of her own feathers which landed at her feet. She held Van's feather in one hand and her own in the other. Presently, she handed her own over to Van.

"Now I have yours and you'll have mine." Hitomi said with a smile. Van carefully placed Hitomi's feather within the folds of his tunic for safekeeping. However, as her dress did not contain pockets of any kind, Hitomi cradled Van's feather in her hand. "Can we sit for a while?"

They walked away from the edge and toward the trees, sitting down where the grass still grew and rested their backs against the wood and their arms intertwined.

"You know, I was almost certain earlier that you were going to jump. I was afraid I'd have to fly after you and that was not the way I was planning on telling you about my wings."

Hitomi hummed. "In that case, I should have gone with my second instinct and jumped. It would have made a good laugh."

"No it wouldn't!"

"Sure it would. Or maybe we would have seen each other's wings at the same time. That way both of us would find out."

"I still can't believe that _you're_ a Draconian. I didn't think there were any left besides myself and my family."

"There aren't very many of us left. The remnants are scattered all over Gaea. There used to be villages where Draconians could run to, a safe haven for them to live, but I think most of those have been destroyed over the past hundred years. My parents grew up in one of those last few villages, just outside of Zaibach. They were both Draconians and grew up together. Luckily, they escaped when that village was burned to the ground. They eventually moved to Asturia where they bought a small farm and married. They had me and my brother, Mamorou, and we lived there happily for several years. But of course hiding a secret like ours was difficult. All four of us were Draconians. Eventually the Hunters found us."

Van's eyebrows raised in recognition. "_Dragon Hunters_?"

Hitomi gave a sad smile. "So you know about them too? Yes. That's why I moved here, to Fanelia, after my family was killed. I had hoped that the Hunters would think I was dead too and forget about me. But I think they're still looking. I see them sometimes, here in Fanelia. I think they suspect I moved here."

"I knew the Dragon Hunters came to Fanelia occasionally but I had always assumed they were after me."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was very young, I jumped off the roof and tried to fly for the first time. Lots of people saw my wings but my mother and father managed to keep my secret from spreading to the wrong people, or so we thought. The Hunters started appearing soon afterward and we assumed that someone released information about my family having Draconian blood. We usually hear word when the Hunters come to our country. During those times, I was confined to the castle grounds until the Hunters left or made a move against the castle to give us an excuse to capture them."

"Did you?"

Van shook his head and Hitomi slumped down.

"I moved here to live with my grandmother around that same time. Komali grows agitated when the Hunters are near. That's how I know they're in Fanelia. Komali and I either fly away to the mountains or I stay indoors and try to keep a low profile."

"We had always assumed they were after me, but the Hunters could have been after either one of us."

They pondered on this for a while, wondering if they would ever know the truth.

"Allen has known all this time, hasn't he?"

Hitomi nodded. "He was the one who found me and kept me safe. He found my grandmother and made sure I was taken care of. He even tried to find the people who killed my family, but he couldn't."

"You said the other day that you loved him…"

"I do, but not in the way you thought. He's been by my side most of my life, wishing only the best for me. He's like the older brother I never had. I will be forever in his debt for what he's done for me."

"But tonight, he tried to force you away from me…"

"…he thought he was protecting me…"

"…and he almost convinced you to marry him!"

"He only did that because he thinks by keeping me close to him, he can protect me. He's having trouble letting me go. Don't be too angry with him! He just doesn't want me to get hurt. He didn't think you would accept me for what I was and he was trying to save me from the pain of rejection. I know it must seem strange to you but this is just his way of protecting me. He cares about me."

"He has a funny way of showing it, using your secret as blackmail."

"I don't like what Allen did any more than you, and I'm not making excuses for him, but he did it with the best intentions. I can at least understand his reasoning."

Van looked away in disgust, furious at not only what the Knight had done but that Hitomi was not as angry with Allen as he was. Hitomi reached up and turned his head towards her and his anger visibly softened at her touch.

"He only made one mistake. He underestimated how much I trusted you and how much you trusted me."

Van removed Hitomi's hand and held it in his own. "Well, he'll find out the truth as soon as we return."

Hitomi shook her head. "No. He's pretty much convinced himself that he's the only one who'll accept me for who I am. He's expecting me to fly home and run away. He'll be waiting for me at my house."

"You can stay here tonight" Van said, alarmed that Hitomi appeared calm and collected. "I'll go with you in the morning."

"Thank you, but no. He needs to be told tonight and I think it would be best if we were alone. Please Van, I insist! I know he won't hurt me."

"I don't want you to be alone with him."

"I know, but trust me on this. I can handle him."

A period of silence fell in which Hitomi proved immovable in her stand. "Only if Komali is near."

Hitomi smiled. "Always."

Van wrapped his arm around Hitomi as she settled against his chest. He stroked her arm in long slow sweeps while she listened to the beating of his heart. The cool night air breezed passed them in gentle waves carrying with it the scent of the forest and mountains. The night sky was clear and bright. It seemed to the two Draconians, it was a perfect moment in time. Van made sure to never forget it.

The sounds of the party had long faded away when Van bid goodnight to Hitomi as she started for home, insisting once again that she go alone. She promised to return the next day, "To pick up Medli," she said jokingly. When her dark silhouette disappeared in the darkness, Van finally turned to seek his family. It didn't take him long. He found them all in one of the rooms sitting at a small table and they looked up at him expectantly when Van entered the room. Van began to wonder if perhaps he had done something wrong or interrupted a secret meeting.

"Well don't just stand there," said Folken as he pulled out a fourth chair.

Van took it and sat down. He looked at his family, his mother giving him a warm smile, his father who was grinning proudly, and his brother who seemed to want nothing more than to burst out laughing. Van settled on looking politely puzzled.

"What's going on? Why are you all here?"

"We've been waiting for you, of course. We want to hear what happened."

Van launched right into what had happened that night, starting with the moment when his mother told him to follow Hitomi, but later in his re-telling, he had to backtrack and explain what happened in the hills when Hitomi first revealed that she would be moving to Daken. Folken raised the question about how he got to the hills and Van decided it was okay to tell them all about Komali. Both his mother and Folken grew excited at the knowledge that Dragonbirds still roamed the land and as Goau was out of the loop, Varie gave a brief explanation of what Dragonbirds were and of their origins. Once that was finished, Van resumed his tale where he found Hitomi and took her to the cliff where Varie previously charged him with taking her when it was time to reveal his secret lineage.

At this point, Van grew hot in anticipation of what he was about to tell them. He was careful how to phrase each event, eager for the looks of surprise and astonishment when he told them Hitomi was a Draconian. Even as he said it, amazement flooded through him. The truth still hadn't completely sunken in. _Hitomi?_ _A Draconian?_

But much to Van's surprise, there was little if any reaction at all. Van wondered if they hadn't heard him properly so he repeated himself, which only earned him a half-suppressed chuckle from his father.

"What's wrong with all of you? Didn't you hear what I said?"

"We heard you, Van," laughed Goau, "But this time _you've_ been left out of the loop. We already knew that Hitomi was a Draconian."

"What? What do you…"

"We've just been waiting for _you_ to figure it out." Folken interrupted.

Shock and utter horror struck Van and he slumped into his chair, not even aware that he had stood up. "How…how…"

"We knew about it the first day you brought her to the castle."

Van's mind spun as he tried to understand. "But…she was with me the whole time. When we were with Folken and when she came over for dinner…"

"I took her away to talk for a while, don't you remember?" Varie asked.

Van frowned. "Yes. Do you mean that while she was with you, she showed you her wings?"

Varie laughed. "No Van. That was just so I could talk with her, but even before that, I knew that she was a Draconian. I could sense it. Your brother could too, though he wasn't certain, which is why he insisted I meet her myself. Once I knew for sure, I told your brother and your father." She paused for a moment to allow Van to process this new information before continuing. "We decided that it would be best if we didn't tell you or Hitomi that you two were Draconians. The both of you would have to discover it yourselves."

"And it was much more fun this way." Folken added, receiving a warning look from his mother.

"But why couldn't you just tell me. All of this trouble wouldn't have happened and things would have been easier."

Varie nodded. "Yes, it would have been easier but then you two wouldn't have formed as strong of a bond as you have, would you?"

Van was going to protest but saw the truth in his mother's eyes, even if he didn't know for sure, he'd trust her decision. "I guess not. But how did you find out? How could you know Hitomi is a Draconian if she hadn't shown you her wings?"

"Because I am a Draconian, I can sense other Draconians, just as your brother and you can. However, you will not be able to recognize your ability until you're around Folken's age. Even _he_ is just learning how to sense those who have hidden wings."

"I was sure there was something strange about Hitomi when you first brought her here," said Folken. "I suspected that she was one of us, though hard as it was for me to believe at the time, so I told mother about it and she insisted on meeting Hitomi herself."

Van's memory raced back to that day when he was upset that _he_ couldn't be the one to tell his mother and father about Hitomi. Now he knew why…

"You said that I have this ability too," Van urged, "but I never knew that Hitomi was a Draconian."

"Van, think about Hitomi and how you felt the first time you met her," said Varie.

Van did so, remembering the piscus that fell from the tree and onto his head, the strange girl who weaved in and out of branches like nothing, who seemed to glow in happiness when she saw Komali approaching.

"Now think about how you feel about me."

He cared deeply for his mother, knowing she was a very wise and caring woman. She was the one he thought of first when he had a question in which he wanted a swift and precise answer.

"Now what about your father?"

Van started. Something felt different, though he had never noticed it before. Van looked up at his father. He held a great deal of respect for him and hoped to be even half the leader he is already. Van knew him to be brave and cunning and determined…but something was not quite right…

"And think of your brother, Folken." Varie finished with a smile, noticing the change on Van's features.

Whatever confusion Van had felt before when comparing his parents was now gone, and Van marveled. How could he feel so close to his mother, his brother, and Hitomi but not his father? Why hadn't he noticed it before?

"Something was different when I thought about you." Van said to Goau, and he nodded in return.

"You can sense those with Draconian blood because _you_ are a Draconian," Goau said calmly. "You will forever be inclined to grow closer to those who have wings."

"Eventually that feeling will get stronger and you'll be able to recognize immediately what it is." Varie added.

"This also explains why you became so close to Hitomi so quickly," Folken said, thoughtfully. "You had never met another Draconian outside of our family before. You couldn't help wanting to be near her."

This statement from Folken did nothing to cheer Van up. _Does this mean I only care for Hitomi because we're both Draconians?_ He voiced his worry to the table and neither Folken nor Goau could answer. Varie put her hand on her son's and drew him in with her eyes.

"You may have been inclined to like Hitomi simply because of your shared blood, but you fell in love with her on your own. The two of you being Draconians had nothing to do with it."

"Are you sure?" Van asked, not completely convinced.

"I'm positive." Varie smiled. "Trust me."

Van couldn't help but do as she asked.

Early the next morning, Van greeted Hitomi with an affectionate hug in the courtyard where Medli lay. Her cheerful demeanor was a relief to him as he had been worrying about her solo encounter with Allen the night before. Hitomi assured him that all was well with her, though not so well for the knight. She suspected that after Allen had left her house fuming, he banished himself in a nearby tavern. Hitomi expressed her confidence that Allen would eventually recover from his emotional blow and that he would leave her alone for quite some time.

Van decided to inform Hitomi about his discussion with his family the previous night. It was no surprise to Van when Hitomi showed the same facial expressions he had experienced when told that his family already knew about Hitomi's heritage. However, Hitomi was slightly relieved to hear that neither Varie nor Folken had learned of Komali before Van revealed it to them.

"I would have felt like we didn't do our job of hiding properly if they'd already known about _both_ of us," Hitomi explained.

Van also tried to teach Hitomi how to sense other Draconians in the same manner his mother used for him. Hitomi was thoughtful. She said she would practice her skill alongside Van in hopes of finding other Draconians.

At this time a messenger ran out to Van and Hitomi, summoning the two of them to a meeting. Neither of them was surprised by the notice, though each wore a slightly somber expression. They knew what was coming. They had spoken at length about it the night before. The messenger escorted the Prince and the 'Lady Aviator', hand in hand, to a chamber where the Kings and military officials from both Fanelia and Daken were gathered.

Upon entering, Van seated Hitomi at one end of a rounded table before taking his place next to his brother, almost opposite of Hitomi. Those who were standing in the room also took their seats as the meeting began.

They spoke of the affairs of Daken, man power, supplies, weapons, and other goods. Schedules were made up of when reinforcements would arrive from other allied countries. Eventually, the topic turned to Hitomi and her glider. She told them where she got her materials, how much she would need for the number of gliders Daken requested, and the approximate amount of time it takes to build one. When asked how soon the materials could be shipped to Daken, Hitomi said within a week and about four before they arrived at their country. At this, the King made a comment that time was precious before moving on to other matters.

With the attention removed from Hitomi, she settled more comfortably in her chair, exhaling through pursed lips. Her eyes flickered up to meet Van's, seeking. Time was short.

The rest of the meeting went by in a haze. Van came out of it at the mention of Hitomi's name. General Lark and a dozen of his men would accompany Hitomi to Asturia where they will make arrangements with Dryden to continually ship materials and tools to Daken. They would leave at first light the next day. King Daken and half his men would leave at the same time to return to Daken. The rest would follow in three days.

When the meeting was over, General Lark arranged a time and place for he and Hitomi to meet and bid farewell. As neither of them was needed anymore for the day, Van and Hitomi left the castle and walked down to Hitomi's house. Knowing that this would be their last day together in a very long time, they tried to make the best of it with cheery conversation and playful jests. He helped her close and lock down her house and shed as she packed for her trip. They traveled into town to give away extra food that Hitomi wouldn't be taking with her and to buy some supplies she needed.

At one point when Hitomi was within a shop being fitted for a traveling cloak and Van stayed outside leaning against the wall near the doorway, a familiar sight met his eyes. A small cluster of women in beautiful dresses walked down the road and stopped at the store opposite of Van. While pretending to examine different fruits from every angle, they snuck glances and whispered comments to each other. Van grinned to himself. Not so long ago, he almost feared entering the market because of these women. It suddenly struck him how childish he had been. Even now, as one of these women detached herself from her group to approach him, Van remained calm and relaxed.

"Good afternoon, Prince Van" she greeted with a deep curtsy.

Van dipped his head slightly in return. "Good afternoon."

"What, may I ask, are you doing in this humble part of town?" she asked with a bright smile.

"I have a few items I need to buy."

"Is that so? I happen to know some of the best places to buy almost anything. Perhaps I can show you?" She took the smallest step towards him and leaned forward slightly but Van's eyes never wavered from her own. Her smile faded into a sly grin and she winked. "What do you say?"

Hitomi stepped out from the doorway holding a folded bundle of cloth in one arm. Van deliberately turned from the woman and took Hitomi's free hand, asking if she was ready to move on. When she confirmed, Van turned to face the now stunned woman.

"I suggest you go pursue someone else. I'm spoken for."

Van could never recall being approached in that manner in Fanelia ever again.

Morning came all too quickly for Van, who did not sleep well if he managed to sleep at all. Mostly he sat on the edge of his bed, staring into nothingness. It seemed unfair to him that Hitomi had to leave just when they were finally completely open with each other, no more secrets between them. How long would it be until they saw each other again? How many months? How many years? How long would it take until her task is complete? Would it _ever_ be complete?

Van wanted to go with her, perhaps serve as an ambassador for Fanelia but knew that the idea was impossible. He would never be allowed. The situation with Daken was too unstable to risk sending a Prince as a mere representative. The threat on Daken was too great. Daken's borders were still small and plagued by constant attacks by Zaibach. One large scale assault on the small country could destroy it.

'_And that's where Hitomi is going.'_

Hitomi was well aware of the danger and risk in going there but she showed a measure of bravery well beyond her years by agreeing to go. King Daken promised to do everything in his power to ensure her safety should she choose to accept his offer and move to Daken. Of course, she accepted. And now the day had arrived for her to leave.

Van looked up and out his window for the hundredth time. The sun was finally up. Down below, he could see wagons being assembled and horses being harnessed to them. Daken was preparing to leave. He changed into some clean clothes and made his way down to the courtyard at a leisurely pace. The sooner he got there, the sooner she'd leave. Long before he was ready to say goodbye, Van had arrived amid the hustle to leave. He saw a half a dozen men throw a large tarp over Medli. Ropes were thrown back and fourth to tie the glider down securely to one of the larger wagons. All around were the sounds of straining ropes and leathers and the stomping of hooves on stone. The horses knew a long journey was ahead of them and they were eager to get under way. A few of the carts were already finished loading and were preparing to leave. At the head of the mass, Van saw King Daken mount his horse and gesture for his men to follow. Immediately, a great heave sounded as most of the men, horses, and carts started forward to follow their King. The courtyard emptied considerably until there were only two carts and a couple dozen men left; General Lark and his men.

He seemed young for a General and he held himself as if he hadn't a care or worry in the world, but he held the respect of his men. Every command he issued was followed with swiftness and without hesitation. Every time Van had seen this man, he had been dressed as if a battle were on the horizon, always carrying his sword and wearing at least minimal armor. He must have been a Knight before being promoted to General, thought Van. At this, General Lark caught Van's eye, gave a final command to one of his men, and approached the Prince.

"It's time for us to leave, Lord Van." He bowed.

"I know. Just take care of her."

The General smiled. "Don't worry, she's safe with me. We've all got to watch out for our own, after all."

"Our own…?"

"I'll let you two say goodbye." General Lark focused somewhere behind Van. "Don't be to long, we're in a hurry." He bowed once more and walked away.

Van turned and saw Hitomi standing beside him. "How long have you been there?"

"Not long, just a few minutes. I'm sorry; I thought you knew I was here."

"No, you walk to quietly, like a cat."

Hitomi stuck out her tongue. "I never liked cats. Well, Merle is okay, I suppose."

"You never told me you didn't like cats."

Hitomi looked thoughtful and touched her finger to her lips. "You're right, I didn't. I guess I'll have to write you some time and tell you why. And you'll have to write me back what you don't like."

"Okay, I'll tell you why I don't like birds. Well, Komali is okay."

"How can you not like birds! Of all things to _not _like, you chose birds! Why?"

Van looked away. "I'm not telling now! You'll have to wait for my letter, which will only come once _you_ write to _me_ first."

"Oh come on! You can't just drop something like that on me and leave me hanging here. What if something happens and I'm not able to get a letter to you…" Hitomi stopped and put her hand to her mouth. "…I…I'm sorry…I…"

All lightheartedness that had been was gone. Only the truth remained. Hitomi was leaving him to someplace dangerous and Van couldn't follow. He would be left behind. If something bad happened, he wouldn't be able to…

"Van, listen to me! Don't zone away like that. Look at me!" He did. "I'm going to be just fine."

A whistle sounded. The men were ready to leave. General Lark issued a shout for everyone to get under way.

"Have a safe trip, Hitomi. I'll write every week but not until after _you _have first."

Hitomi smiled. "That's more like it. Can I kiss you now?"

Van laughed. "You're asking me?"

Hitomi pulled Van's head down to meet hers. Immediately, they could hear the sounds of some of the men whistling and hollering at them. They grinned in spite of themselves. With their foreheads still touching, Hitomi broke away long enough to say, "They're never going to leave me alone after this."

Van shrugged. "Not my problem."

…

**AN: Yay that was fun! Although, to be honest, I'd be humiliated…maybe. I don't know, it's funny in my head… still grinning**

**Okay, just so you all know, the next chapter may be a bit short, and the chapter after that will probably be the last…at least that's the plan. I'm not sure. Plans change. **

**About the chapter title, I took it from a song I heard in the movie "Fly Away Home", the one about the geese. Those of you who've seen the movie know what I'm talking about. For those who don't, the lyrics go something like this: _Fare thee well my own true love. Fare thee well for a while. I'm going away, but I'll be back, though I go ten thousand miles. Ten thousand miles or more…the rocks may mend and the seas may burn…and I may not return… _or something to that effect. I don't know who sings it or what the real lyrics are, but this is what's in my head and I think it goes well with this chapter. **

**So, now it's time for you all to REVIEW POST HASTE and then leave your computer and watch Fly Away Home... **

**_Ja!_**

_**Yugismpuzzle**_

Random thoughts from the author: …

This has nothing to do with Flying High, but since it's my chapter, I'll write whatever I feel like. I LOVE FRUITS BASKET! I saw the anime a long time ago, but didn't read the manga, and then for just under two years, I got away from it. But now I'm back in! I've read all the books, up to 13 anyway, and I'M SO MAD THAT IT'S TAKING SO LONG! The books only come out every four months. That's not fast enough! I hate Akito. I don't trust Rin or Shigure. Momiji is adorable, as always, and so is his little sister. Yuki's hilarious and I applaud him. Kyo is stupid and I feel sorry for him.

Oh, and I started watching Wolf's Rain. I'm halfway through the series, so don't tell me anything, but I just felt like making that announcement.


	12. The Scarlet Letters

**AN: This chapter is a little different than what you're all used to. Instead of reading a story about Van and Hitomi, you're going to look at their lives and their relationship through some of the letters they write to each other. In between the letters will be dates to show how long it's been since Hitomi left Fanelia, measured in weeks. I've never tried this before, so this is mostly for my own amusement, just to see if I can do it and make it work. Wish me luck, and Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne or their postal service. This is just a figment of my imagination… **

**Chapter Twelve: The Scarlet Letters**

…

_Week 1_

…

Van,

It's been almost a week since I've left Fanelia but not much has happened. The weather has been beautiful, though I'm aching from head to toe. I'm not used to riding on horses day after day. My previous visits to Asturia were much more comfortable. But the soreness is fading, which is good. It will be an even longer ride once we set out for Daken. We just arrived in Asturia today, which is why I'm writing.

I met Dryden for the first time just a few hours ago. He's different from what I imagined in our written letters. He's so relaxed and care-free, but at the same time is flamboyant. Mostly he spoke with General Lark, and it took quite a bit of convincing to get Dryden to agree to help fund Daken's cause. At first, the negotiations didn't seem to be going well, but all of the sudden, Dryden agreed. We were all at a loss for words. Dryden seemed amused. He arranged a great meal for us and provided a very comfortable place to sleep. I'm in the sleeping quarters I've been given, writing this letter to you now. Later, I will visit my friend, Mr. Mole and make sure he cooperates with Dryden (and doesn't try to steal any of his treasures, as he is prone to do).

As for our parting deal, this is why I don't like cats. When I was little, not long after my little brother was born, I had a number of small pets including an orange cat named Whiskers, and a rat named Nose. Already, can you see where this is going? Whiskers brought home a dead rat which was, of course, my rat Nose. I know it seems silly now, but as a little child, it really bothered me. And of course, I soon discovered afterwards that cats also hunt birds, and I loved birds more than any other animal, which I'm sure is easy to imagine why.

But I don't understand how come you don't like birds? I can't wait to hear your explanation.

_Hitomi_

…

…

_Week 2_

…

Hitomi,

I'm glad to hear you're doing well. Don't worry about the soreness. By the time you receive this letter, I'm sure it'll have disappeared.

It appears that I too will be doing quite a bit of traveling soon, also by horseback. Father says its time I became acquainted personally with our allies and neighboring countries, so I will be spending some time away from Fanelia. This will be the longest I've ever spent away from my homeland yet I am excited for this opportunity.

I have a confession to make: I lied to you. I don't hate birds. But when I was growing up, and first learning to _travel around_, I was jealous of them. They didn't have to hide. I could only practice in secret, and usually at night when I was easily hidden. From what Mother and Father tell me, Folken was much the same way when he was little.

Merle has just come in, and judging by the hairs standing on the back of my neck, she wants me to play with her. Apparently I've been neglecting my duties as her adopted big brother, especially after meeting you. Now I must make up for lost time.

_Van_

…

…

_Week 3_

…

Van,

You were right. Riding is much easier now and I've grown quite fond of my horse. His name is Zachar and he likes to try and eat my food. He's very clever and if I don't tie him up properly, he escapes and eats my meal if I'm not paying enough attention. Although, I'm beginning to suspect that in some of his escapes he's being aided by one of the General's men. Perhaps it is Rune, or his brother Pak. They're the jokesters of all of us. But I wish you could see them spar each other. I think they choreograph them ahead of time because some of the "battles" the act out for everyone have lines of dialogue. Some of the other men will even join in.

I know they're all doing their best to keep things light, but I can feel tension and urgency in the air. These people are worried about returning home, to Daken. I think some of them even wonder if it will still be standing when we arrive. I think about that often, and it only makes me want to help them even more.

You probably know more about their situation than I do. Do you think Daken will last against Zaibach?

_Hitomi_

…

…

_Week 4_

…

Hitomi,

Daken is comparatively small when placed against Zaibach, but unless Zaibach launches a full scale assault, I do think Daken stands a chance. There is still hope for them. And with you on their side, their chances of success are even greater. Zaibach doesn't think highly of Daken and though they will try to take back the territory Daken has claimed, Zaibach will not invest too many resources on this small conflict. As long as Daken keeps fighting and doesn't give in, they will win their freedom. As far as Zaibach is concerned, as long as Daken remains small, and doesn't grow significantly larger than they already are, Daken is no threat.

…

…

…

_Week 6_

…

Van,

I've finally arrived. Daken is well hidden away in a mountain range that weaves in and out of Zaibach's southern border. All around is a dense forest where trees reach incredible heights. Now I understand why Zaibach hasn't sent in airships to attack Daken. It would take a great deal of skill just to navigate the tall sharp peaks of the mountain range, let alone try and land in the middle of a forest. I can't go into too much detail about Daken in case this letter is intercepted but I must say there aren't as many people as I had originally thought. Actually, there's less than half of what I had immagined. But already, being here only four days has taught me a lot about these people. For one thing, everybody works; men, women, and children alike. I'm in awe of the collective effort of these people. They're unified in their spirit and purpose and are eager to become their own rulers.

For now, I'm staying at one of Daken's small fortresses, a keep lying deep within the forest and hidden by the mountains. They call this place Shyada's Keep. I'm told it's one of many smaller outposts that surround Daken's main city. There is limited space here but the King has given me my own private room, which I thought was very kind since I've also noticed that most are sharing rooms with one or more persons. Mine is small, room enough only for a bed and a working table, but it does have a small window.

My _things_ have not yet arrived, but I'm showing my _drawings_ to those who have been assigned to me so they will be prepared.

By the way, have you kept your promise? Are you still practicing?

_Hitomi_

…

…

_Week 7_

…

Hitomi,

Yes, I still practice, especially when I encounter new people. Although, there haven't been many visitors to Fanelia so my opportunities are few and far between. But that will change soon as I am going to be leaving the day after tomorrow. Balgus confirmed to Father that my training in Fanelia has come to its end and it's time for me to study abroad. I will still write you often and your letters will be sent to me after arriving in Fanelia…

…

…

…

…

_Week 10_

…

Van,

Construction has finally begun and I can't tell you how amazed I am. Everything arrived so quickly and in such large numbers. It took me years to build my own but already, after a few days, three have been completed.

I have over a dozen volunteers who want me to train them, one of which is a little boy, Seff. He insists he's sixteen, but my guess is he's ten years old. I enjoy his company though. He's a little light in this place, wandering around wherever he wishes and playing games with the soldiers, keeping their spirits up. It's hard to feel sad when he's around. He's been a great comfort…

…

…

…

_Week 12_

…

Hitomi,

I'm glad to hear you've found a friend. I've made a few friends as well. I've been visiting some of the villages that live close to Fanelia's borders. Some of them are within our country and others are not and are considered small countries, though they're little more than a large village. Most of what I've been learning has regarded politics and cultural differences.

I'm currently staying at Ruhm's village, a wolf-man whom I've seen many times in Fanelia. Part of the village was damaged by a fire that broke out a few days ago. Thankfully, no one was injured. We've been helping these families re-build their homes and gather their livestock…

…

…

…

_Week 14_

…

Van,

Training has begun but there is limited space here to keep our operations in secret, so most of my lessons come in lecture. However, these people are eager to learn and are dedicated to their task, and most of them have a fair dose of talent.

Because of the mountainous terrain, the wind currents seem unpredictable. I'm planning to take Medli and explore the skies a bit and maybe create a sky map…

…

…

…

_Week 15_

…

Hitomi,

There's no way to prove it, but I think that fire that broke out a couple weeks ago was set on purpose. Some of the village's livestock has gone missing, even after we rounded most of them up. There's a small group of people in the area that do not like Ruhm or his village and I think they're responsible for setting the fire and stealing their animals. I've been helping the villagers defend their borders, occasionally fighting off intruders. So far, we have not been able to capture any of them, but at the same time, no one has gotten hurt. It's likely that this "small group" is seeking to scare Ruhm's village away, not harm anyone. Still, I don't intend to let them intimidate these people. They've earned their land and worked hard to keep it whole…

…

…

…

_Week 19_

…

Van,

I'm sorry this letter is coming so late. I've been away from the Keep and just returned in time to read your last letter, which arrived long before I returned, and write one in return.

I am well. Makel, a native of this land, Zoe and Bauz, two of my more talented pupils, and I were on a mission to map out the airways of this region. Makel knows the terrain better than most, so he was assigned to keep us from getting lost. I brought Zoe and Bauz with me so they could get some hands on practice but also to help me make our map. Mostly, one of us would set off on Medli and see where the wind would take us while the others followed from the ground. We would have to travel the same route many times to see if the wind remained consistent or if it followed a pattern. I'm sad to say there was many landings like that first one you witnessed. The wind currents are strong and gusty, especially when the mountains close in to form tight cliffs, which were difficult to maneuver through. But no one was seriously hurt, and all in all, I think we enjoyed ourselves…

…

…

…

_Week 21_

…

Hitomi,

When you write "no one was seriously hurt", you cannot hide from me that some, if not all, of you were indeed injured. And I hope that when I see you again, I will not see a number of new scars to add to the one on your forehead…

…

…

…

_Week 23_

…

Don't worry Van,

I'll have you know that scar has almost completely faded and that it will take careful searching on your part to find it when we do meet again. Yet I admit, Makel, Zoe, Bauz, and I came back with a few more scrapes and bruises than when we departed. Zoe received the worst injury of the four of us, earning herself a good sized scar beneath her shoulder. However, with time, that will fade as well. She and Bauz (siblings, as a matter of fact) continue to create grandiose stories about hanging by their fingernails from a rocky cliff with a hungry bear swatting at them from above and a giant bird of prey swooping down at them. Their stories are entertaining, though I might have suspected Komali if I hadn't known where Zoe and Bauz had been during our weeks together…

…

…

…

_Week 25_

…

Hitomi,

I must be completely honest with you. I wouldn't dismiss the idea of Komali having some fun so quickly. I'll have you know, he's taken a few snaps at me when you weren't looking, especially when you were busy with Medli. Make sure he has something to do. Otherwise, he may find entertainment elsewhere.

The very night I sent my last letter, the _Intruders_, as we've been accustomed to calling them, returned to set fire to another crop. The fire was put out quickly because it was spotted early by those where were standing guard. The Intruders ran into the woods too quickly to be captured. However, they didn't realize that we had set up many traps along the tree line. Out of four of our sprung traps, one of them managed to capture one of the Intruders. It was a man.

His name is Garret. He seems to come from a village about a half a day's journey from Ruhm's village. He claims that wolf-men, from Ruhm's village, have been stealing livestock and burning crops. He admits he's never seen one of Ruhm's villagers commit any of those crimes, but seems to think no one else would be guilty.

I was surprised at how even-tempered Ruhm was about the whole situation. Even when Garret launched insults and idol threats at him, Ruhm remained calm. Once Garret was finished ranting, Ruhm insisted on accompanying him back to his home. I asked to join him, and he agreed, so now I am residing in Nashin Village. What's more mysterious is that stories of fires and missing livestock are popping up all around this area, which lies just outside the outer border of Fanelia.

Everything I've heard makes me wonder if a dragon could be involved. It's a disturbing thought that Ruhm and I share…

…

…

…

_Week 27_

…

Van,

As I'm sure you already notice, I'm sending this letter with Komali for two reasons. First and foremost, I wanted this letter to reach you quickly as winter is setting in. Second, I think Komali can and wants to help you. I told him about your theory and he grew extremely anxious. Perhaps he's worried about the dragon, or maybe he just misses you! Either way, I'm sure he can help you.

I hope you're wrong about it being a dragon.

_Hitomi_

…

…

…

_Week 29_

…

Hitomi,

Can you imagine my surprise when, three weeks ago, while I was walking my rounds, keeping watch, a great eagle came swooping out of the night and knocked me flat on my face as it passed overhead? If you can, then you have a pretty good idea what our reunion was like.

Later, when Komali's excitement had worn off, I noticed what you mentioned in your letter. You're right. He is extremely anxious. Since he's arrived, he has not rested. How long can he go without sleep? He's always on alert and occasionally will take off on a whim as if he heard something important, but he always returns disappointed. He's searching for something. Actually, he's searching for the dragon…

…

…

…

_Week 31_

…

Van,

I've finished my map. I can't tell you how excited I am, except that I just did. Makel, Zoe, Bauz, and I took a few more expeditions to explore the area and I've collected all the information I possibly can. I met a cartographer, called Zedoshi. I described to him the directions of the winds while Makel gave a detailed layout of the ground. Zedoshi combined our information into a new map which was completed a couple weeks ago. Since then, I've been navigating the area, trying to find an easy run where my students can get some hands on experience. I've got almost two dozen people, anxiously waiting for their chance to get in the air. My gliders have long since finished being built and I've run out of things to teach them through lecture. Now, it's time to fly.

As for the matter with the dragon, which I hope it isn't, promise me you'll be careful. I don't need to tell you how dangerous this is. It's not normal for a dragon to randomly attack villages, which seems to be the case here. I can think of only two reasons for a dragon to act this way. One, someone is attacking the dragon and it now feels threatened. Two, the dragon is ill. Neither of these scenarios gives me much encouragement.

Komali will do everything he can to find this dragon, but I worry what will happen if he does find him. There will be a fight, I'm sure, but I'd rather it not be a fight to the death. Please look after him, and tell Komali I want him to look after you too. Write me if you find out anything, even if you haven't yet received a letter from me.

Be careful.

_Hitomi_

…

…

…

_Week 33_

…

Hitomi,

I'm sorry this letter is coming a bit late, but since it has arrived to you by Komali, I'm sure you'll find a way to forgive me. Unfortunately, Komali is no longer needed. Even more unfortunate, we were right.

A week and a half ago, Komali's behavior changed from anxious and being on alert to agitation and aggression. He kept flying off and turning around to me, wanting me to follow. Since the others at Ruhm's village couldn't see Komali, I had to find a way to get them to follow me while I pursued Komali. Ruhm shared my worry that a dragon could be behind these attacks. I told them that we needed to travel north to search for the dragon. He seemed amused but agreed to help me.

Ruhm and those from his village, along with a few volunteers from Nashin, including Garret, and I began a six day trek due north, most of which was off the normal roads and through dense forests. More than once someone complained as to why we were walking through forests when a trail was only a half an hour away that traveled in the same direction. I wondered the same thing myself, but Komali was insistent that we keep our same path. So on we traveled until we woke up on the seventh morning to the sound of screaming.

The sun was not yet up, but the sky to the east was bright and glowing. The cries were coming from a village we were heading for. Their crops and some of their homes were already in flames by the time we reached them. In the middle of it all was the dragon. But the dragon was not well. Its body smelled as if it were rotting. Combined with the ash, I wonder if I'll ever smell anything else. That alone was intense. Nevertheless, the dragon was, indeed, mad. Komali was already attacking it by the time I reached him. I don't know if you've ever seen Komali _really_ fight, but it was a sight I'll not soon forget.

He dove at the dragon with such speed that his talons pierced through his scales! Even my sword wasn't strong enough to cut through, but Komali continued to attack the dragon, keeping its attention on him and away from the villagers. At one point, he had enough grip that he started to lift the dragon off the ground. That's when I took my chance and went for the dragon's heart, where the flesh was still soft. Dragon's blood is supposed to be green, but this one bled black. When I finally managed to get the energist out, I discovered what was wrong with this dragon. Someone had already slain this dragon, but they only took half of the heart. Without a whole heart, the dragon was dieing, but couldn't die. Instead it drove it mad, attacking at random, burning everything in sight. I am sorry for what this creature went through, but at the same time, I'm glad I could put it to rest. It needed to be done. Thanks to Komali, no one was hurt and the dragon is at peace.

It wasn't until later, after the issue was resolved, that Ruhm told me he had received word not ten minutes before I asked him to travel north that someone from this village spotted the dragon. Ruhm asked me how I knew, but I explained I couldn't tell him. I think he still respects me though, even if I couldn't tell him the whole truth…

…

…

…

_Week 35_

…

Van,

Thank you for sending Komali. I was very happy to see him and receive a letter from you. Shyada's Keep has been under siege these past two days and no mail has been getting in or out. This is the first big battle I've seen. Since I've been here, there have been dozens of small attacks. It's likely those were just to test our strengths and weaknesses. But this time, Zaibach is going all out. They came quickly and in great numbers. We would have been caught off guard if it were not for my Flying Watchmen. We've been making rounds for quite a while now, and one of my students spotted Zaibach's soldiers an hour before they got here. I think they were surprised to find us all locked down and ready to fight. They were hoping for a surprise attack. Instead, we surprised them.

I'm so glad that I'm finally making a difference.

I must inform you that you have an admirer here. I've been telling Seff a lot about you and after reading to him your last letter about the dragon, you've officially become his hero. He's been jumping out from behind corners, threatening any potential "Zaibach spies", and shouting, "I am Van the Dragonslayer! Surrender now or meet your doom!" He's actually very adorable. Many of our most capable soldiers have surrendered to him…

I don't know when this letter will reach you, but it will have to wait until Zaibach admits defeat and retreats, which I suspect will be sooner rather than later.

_Hitomi_

…

…

…

_Week 37_

Hitomi,

I'm glad to hear you and your Watchmen are well. Still, be careful. War is not to be taken lightly, and I want you safe. I know you don't write to me of all the battles, but I hear about them from my correspondence with Folken. Especially considering where you are located, your Keep is at the front of most of the attacks. So don't think you're hiding anything from me by omitting certain details…

…

…

…

_Week 39_

Van,

You're right. I'm sorry. Part of why I never write about it was I didn't want you to worry, but there's another reason. As long as my mind is on other things, and I'm writing to you about anything other than the fighting, it keeps my spirits up. Any distraction I can find to keep my thoughts on happy things, I take. That must by why I especially like Seff's company.

Here's the truth; the battles get harder to bear every day. It's especially hard when I find myself burying a familiar face. I think often about the people I pass in halls, people I sit next to while eating, memorizing their faces. If I don't, I feel like, if they were to die, they may be forgotten…

…

…

…

_Week 41_

Hitomi,

Carrying the weight of the dead is too heavy of a burden. Stop trying. It's a fact of war that men and women die. It is not your responsibility to remember them all. It is impossible for you to do so, even if you try. Those men and women willingly put their lives on the line for what they believe in, knowing full well that if they die, they may be forgotten. The moment someone steps onto the battlefield, they accept that what they do is for the benefit of those that live. They are fighting so their country can be free, and to those that fight, death is an acceptable sacrifice. You don't have to remember each individual person. Their entire country will honor them once they fully gain their freedom. The whole country will remember them for their sacrifice. Don't try to do if for them. Just do your part by helping the way you already are, and keep yourself alive.

…

…

…

_Week 43_

Van,

I hope you know that what you wrote in your last letter also applies to you. I want _you_ safe. This is the first time you've been outside of Fanelia for more than a couple months, and being so far away from home can't exactly be luxurious either. After all, not everyone can battle with a dragon and live to tell the tale.

One of my Watchmen went down a few days ago and, luckily, managed to make it back to the keep with a broken arm, some deep bruises, and a cut that will definitely leave a story-telling scar. Today, we sent out a party to retrieve the wreckage of the glider. I don't want Zaibach to get their hands on one of my gliders and start building some of their own. As far as I know, Zaibach isn't thinking to look at the skies for sentries and I want to keep it that way. But I've had to face the fact that at some point, one of my Watchmen will fall and not get back up again. One of my original students, Tevel, who is now a fellow teacher, helped me come up with a motto: Fall Hard. If a Watchman is in trouble, and _knows_ they're going to crash and _knows_ that Zaibach will get a hold of the glider once they're dead, all of my Watchmen have agreed to "fall hard": to aim the glider strait at the ground and smash the glider to pieces. "If you're going to fall, fall hard." It will insure that Zaibach will never get a clear model of how the glider is built. In addition, we're planning on attaching small ceramic balls of liquid that will ignite and burn up the cloth canvas upon impact. The goal is that if Zaibach finds a fallen Watchman, all that will remain is twisted metal and charred remains.

This isn't an idea I like, but it's a fact I must accept. This is just one more thing I hate about this war; how willing everyone is to sacrifice themselves for their country. Everyone agreed to the policy without hesitation. They will do anything to ensure Zaibach does not gain the upper hand…

…

…

…

_Week 45_

Hitomi,

I'm sorry you have to learn the ways of warfare this way. People die in wars; that is a fact, no matter how sad it is. But if Daken wants its freedom, they must fight because Zaibach will not give it to them willingly.

Let me give you something to take your mind off of all that. I've been learning where to go to find information and who to ask. When going to a new city or town, the first place I've been going to is the local tavern. Not necessarily to drink, but to listen. I've heard more than I care to know about certain places and individuals by sitting at a stool and pretending to sip a mug for an hour. Ruhm's brother has remained in my company since the dragon incident, and as we travel to different countries and villages, he's given me different assignments. My most recent was to find the best ironsmith in the area without looking into a single forge. I succeeded this morning. I've been awake all night listening to drunken men complain about this and that. With a couple of small comments to help steer the conversation, and a few rounds, I managed to coax out of several men the name of a respected blacksmith. Right now, Ruhm's brother is speaking with the smith to get new shoes for our horses, and I'm writing to you. Soon I will fall asleep, and Ruhm's brother will return and wake me with his loud comments on how lazy I am…

…

…

…

…

_Week 48_

…

Van,

I've had to re-write this letter twice…

Seff was killed yesterday. There was a surprise attack on the main gate. Zaibach's soldiers briefly penetrated the outer wall, shattering the main wooden gate, but we eventually managed to push them back. When it was over, many people started repairing the gate, and as they were clearing away the debris, someone found Seff's body, buried and crushed.

His death has touched most everyone. Many of us helped burry him…

…

…

…

_Week 50_

Hitomi,

If I were next to you, I'd hold you and tell you everything will be alright. I've requested permission to go to Daken, even if it is just temporary. You've been way from me for too long. You're not alone, Hitomi. We will be together again soon…

…

…

…

_Week 52_

Van,

I love you…

…

…

…

_Week 54_

Hitomi,

I love you…

…

…

…

_Week 57_

…

Van,

Another battle has ended and I am finally free to write again safely. I've spent the last ten minutes cleaning myself after digging a mass grave for those who've died these last few days. I wrote a letter a week ago, but it was intercepted not long after the carrier left here. Luckily, nothing of any value was written in the letters that poor man had. He is dead.

Everything about this place feels desperate. Even the walls of the keep seem depressed to me. We are right at the front lines. At least every week, there's an attack. Zaibach intends to slowly weaken these people, make them struggle for everything. On bad nights, like this, I wonder if what I'm doing will make a difference at all. Who cares if we see Zaibach coming? Why not be blissfully ignorant? Maybe, if we don't try so hard to fight them, they'll just let Daken live in peace.

I'm such a child…

…

…

…

_Week 59_

…

Hitomi,

I have no doubt in my mind that you _are_ making a difference. Daken never would have asked you there if he didn't think you could significantly increase their chances. Besides, you're not alone in this. More help is on the way. During my travels, I've been spreading the word about Daken and many villages and countries are seriously considering sending aid, some of which already have.

Wanting peace is not childish. You place significant value on a person's life. That is a gift. Zaibach is not so lucky…

…

…

…

_Week 60_

…

Van,

Thank you for your kind letter and for reminding me why I'm here. Of course I knew why I was here, but I guess I needed someone to say the words, or at least write them.

Nothing's changed. Fights happen, men and women fall, but I'm trying to find the courage to carry on. It would be easier if you were here to help me.

Have you heard anything? Did you get permission to come here?…

…

…

…

…

_Week 63_

…

Hitomi,

I received a letter from my father. He's denied my request to go to you. The letter contained something about the situation being too heated and that the risk was too great. I don't care about the risk! If I have to, I'll fly over there myself! How can I stay where I am, traveling from one safe country to the next when you are at the front lines?! Why can't I fight with you?!

I suppose it's my turn to be childish. You agreed to your duties there, and I have my own here. I may not be fighting a war, but I am making a difference; offering help when needed, stopping a quarrel between two tribes through peaceful negotiations, defending caravans from raids. It's small, but at the moment, it's my responsibility…

…

…

…

…

_Week 66_

…

Hitomi,

I fear my last letter may have been lost or intercepted, so I will try to remember all that I wrote before…

…

…

…

…

_Week 68_

…

Hitomi,

I'm getting worried. Please write to me. Are you upset that I can't go to you? Has something happened? Are you alright?

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

_Week 70_

…

Hitomi,

I have not received a letter from you in two months…

_Van_

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

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_Week 73_

…

Prince Van,

I apologize in advance for not informing you sooner of the situation. Events have not allowed me sufficient time to send correspondents to all our allies. A message was sent to Fanelia, but until I intercepted your last letter, I was unaware that you were traveling abroad and had not been informed of our status.

Several weeks ago, Shyada's Keep was overrun by Zaibach. It was only just re-taken four days ago this morning. I've searched the entire keep and have only few survivors. I'm sorry to inform you that Lady Hitomi has not been found among the dead or alive. Those who survived or escaped do not know where she is. A careful search has been made to find any sign of her whereabouts, but the only hint that presented itself was a letter, addressed to you, unfinished in her quarters which I've enclosed. There were signs of a great struggle in her room and the door was broken down after being locked from the inside.

Do not assume the worst, Prince Van. There's no way to know if it's her blood on this letter. Just read it carefully. I hope it means more to you than it did for us. Please, do not hesitate to call upon me if there's anything I can do to help.

My sincerest apologies,

General Lark

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Van,

I'm writing now in hopes of blocking out the sounds of battle outside. This one is going to last all night, I can tell. There is little I can do to help at this point, so I've been sent inside where "I'll be safe." I'm heeding their word without a fight, for now. I'm exhausted. I just want all the fighting to stop! I'm sick of it. Every day, it's planning for another battle, regrouping from a defeat or victory, burying the dead. I've buried so many familiar faces, I wonder if I'll ever be happy again—_the sounds are getting louder. I hope they haven't broken through. _

I miss Fanelia. I miss the smell and the feel of it. I was free there. I miss flying at night with Komali. I need to stretch my wings. It's been far too long. A year? More? I don't remember. I want to see you. I need your help. I'm scared Van. And for the first time in my life, I don't think I can do this on my own. I'm sorry if I seem selfish but…I guess I'm just missing you… I wonder when we'—

-

-

_THEY'RE HERE—_

…

…

…

**AN: Ah, finally this chapter is out. I tell you, it was hard to write. Very hard. Do I get at least SOME sympathy for trying to write in this style? mob throws tomatoes…yugismpuzzle ducks…I guess not. But at least I'm done. Now there's only ONE MORE CHAPTER TILL THE END!!! I can't believe this is almost over. Wow. Of course, I was going to end this story several chapters ago, but I decided to add a bit more, just for fun. Hope you all are enjoying this as much as I am. Sorry again for taking so long. I have no good excuse except I'm a lazy person with lots to do, and I got stuck A LOT! But my goal is to have this story FINISHED before 2007, so stay tuned!!!**

**So, for your reviews, I'd like you all to answer this question: What do _you_ think happened to Hitomi? Make sure to use you imaginations! I want to see what you all think.**

**There's a prize to anyone who gets the answer right!!!!**

**_Yugismpuzzle_**

****

**_PS_**

**_I tried to upload this doc 8 times before it worked properly. All the other times, only about half of my chapter would appear. AHHHH!!!!!!!!!_**


	13. Please, Find Me!

**AN: READ THIS BEFORE YOU READ THE CHAPTER!!! This is not the final chapter. Life had been really crazy these past couple of months, and I've had little time and energy to write, so, because I should have updated long ago, I'm offering the FIRST HALF of the final chapter. This is NOT the end. Turns out, you get one more chapter after this. Okay, now you can read…I'll save the rest of my ranting to the end…**

**Disclaimer: Escaflowne does not exist, therefore I cannot own it. Nor would I want to. There are too many OTHER obsessed people in the world who would slaughter me to get their hands on it, just for the sake of calling it theirs…**

**Chapter 13: Please, Find Me!**

Tonight was the night. He could feel it. Confidence flowed through him, keeping him warm. The icy wind did nothing to decrease his determination. Winter was arriving, bringing with it layers of snow and ice. Van walked on, keeping his cloak tightly wrapped around him, his hood protecting his head, and his senses alert. There were few people out on the streets. Most had barricaded themselves inside any building which had a roaring fire within, whether it was an inn or a tavern.

Van found his destination. Coal's Tavern.

Keeping his hood secure, Van stepped inside, closing the door quickly to prevent the winds from stealing what little warmth there was inside. A few men glanced briefly in Van's direction and returned to their drinks. The conversation didn't skip a beat. Van took a stool from the bar and sat. The owner approached, set a mug down, and Van dropped a coin on the counter.

While pretending to slowly consume his drink, Van scoped the room. There were almost two dozen men in the tavern. Most were huddled in groups near the fire, drinking and playing cards.

_Someone in this room knows where Hitomi is_, Van thought.

Van's investigation got him this far and now he was eager to see the fruit of his labor. It didn't take long for him to realize who took Hitomi. She wrote it in her letter.

"THEY'RE HERE-"

It wasn't just Zaibach. It was the Dragon Hunters. They had finally found her.

Van had visited Shyada's Keep several weeks before to ask General Lark for everything he knew. As it turned out, one of the General's spies who infiltrated enemy lines discovered that Zaibach was, indeed, trying to capture Hitomi. They found out she invented a new glider and sought to gain control over her to obtain the designs. All previous attempts on their part to capture an undamaged glider had failed, largely because of the Watchmen's "Fall Hard" philosophy. Zaibach didn't want Hitomi helping Daken any longer.

But Zaibach didn't have Hitomi. One of the main objectives of the siege on Shayda's Keep was to capture her, but upon failing to find her within the keep, Zaibach assumed she had fled before they could reach her. But they were wrong.

There was a traitor, or a spy, within the walls of the Keep that night, and whoever it was, they allowed a small number of Zaibach soldiers into the keep long before the armies broke through the main gate and flooded in. Several witnesses confirmed seeing Zaibach soldiers within the keep before the gates had completely fallen. This was the group that captured Hitomi.

Still, General Lark's spies insist that Zaibach was still looking for Hitomi. Zaibach thinks she's safe within Daken. Daken thinks she's been captured by Zaibach. Neither side knew where she was. This was Van's first hint that something was hidden from him. A third party had intervened.

Then Van returned to the last letter Hitomi wrote to him. It was the last letter she ever wrote and inside it was a message to him: THEY'RE HERE-

General Lark had asked Van to study the letter closely, hoping that it would mean more to Van than it did to him. Van took those words to heart. What's so important about these words? Why use those _particular_ words? Wasn't it obvious later on that it was Zaibach attacking? Why write "they're here" when it's obvious who "they" are? Unless it isn't obvious…

Who _else_ could it be? Something that would mean more to Van than anyone else. Why him?

The words were written in fear. They were sharp and fast. Not long after the message was penned, someone spilled blood. Fear. What was she so afraid of? No…what would _we_ be afraid of?

…_Dragon Hunters!_

Glasses shattered and two men tumbled to the floor.

"Curse you Roan! You destroy everything you touch!" The bartender stomped over to one of the fallen men and grabbed him up by his collar. "If you're gonna get drunk, do it at home where all you break is your own things!" with that he tossed him towards the door. Roan went down again, laughing and choking at the same time. He swayed to and fro before he finally found the door and hurried out. Failing to close the door properly, nearly everyone began to shout and yell as the cold wind ripped through the warm air. Van being the closest, raced forward and slammed the door shut. He received a "Here here!" and grumble of approval from many.

Van took this opportunity to join the card game. He had found long ago that he was no good at these games, but it didn't matter. Van just needed to let everyone know that he had money to spend. He played a few rounds, losing a great deal more than he won, but allowed himself to appear carefree about the coins he lost. He laughed at their jokes, bought a round of drinks for the players, mostly listening to conversation and only occasionally participating to steer the talk in a direction he wanted. Two hours later, he left the game, insisting he needed some real food, and shuffled to the bar. He allowed himself to appear slightly intoxicated, but Van stayed sharp. If Van had played right, the man he was looking for would soon approach him.

The manager brought Van a bowl of hot soup and a half loaf of bread. Van really was hungry, so this part of his façade required no improvisation. Halfway through his meal, a figure detached himself from the table and fire to join Van at his left. He ordered the same meal from the manager and before tucking in, spoke to Van.

"So, you're a collector of sorts? I must admit, you seem rather young."

"I promise you, it only seems that way. I've been _collecting_ since before you were born."

The man laughed joyfully and slapped Van on the back. He ordered another round of drinks for him and Van. "So, it's an inherited collection? And you're seeking to sell it? Make a small fortune?"

Van smiled, "No. I'm hoping to expand it. It's far from being complete."

"You must be careful. Being young as you are…sorry, younger than _me_, you don't want to waste your life and money on more trophies. In the end, you'll end up with no money and a bunch of junk nobody is willing to buy, but still may be used for firewood."

They both laughed, drunk from their mugs, and consumed the soup and bread. When the manager left to retrieve more wood for the now dying fire, the stranger leaned a little closer and spoke softer.

"If you're looking to attain a certain…item…one that isn't flammable, but more substantial…I may be able to help you."

Van also dropped his voice. "I don't know if you can get me what I seek. It may no longer exist." He lowered his voice even further, almost to a whisper. "What good is a Dragonbird without its counterpart…"

The man smiled and held out his hand. "Call me Lazar."

Van accepted his hand. "Ren."

Lazar stood and wrapped his cloak about him. "If you'd like to see what I've got, I have a hot fire burning. Perhaps you will find something that sparks your interest."

"I suppose it couldn't hurt to look." Van followed Lazar's lead, replaced his hood, and together they walked out into the storm.

When they finally entered what seemed a shabby little tavern, Van half expected to see Hitomi standing just past the door. The building contained only one large room, cold, damp, and moldy from age. The floorboards creaked loudly with each step. Still, Lazar continued to lead purposefully across the room to a broom closet. He opened the door and Van managed to stifle a gasp. There was a staircase leading underground. It grew even colder as they descended and Van gripped his cloak closer to himself, keeping in the warmth. The stairway ended at a steel door. Lazar knocked his knuckles against the door in an irregular pattern, waited three beats, and knocked twice more. The sound of sliding locks and chains answered before the door opened, flooding Van and Lazar in warmth and light.

A large muscular man covered in furs and a belt of knives stepped aside from the doorway upon seeing Lazar and examining Van. The two of them stepped through and Van welcomed the warmth. All around the circular room were torches and at the center was a large burning fire. There were also eight men armed with swords, axes, and caskets of ale. Lazar briefly introduced Van to each man before leading him to a set of doors off to the side.

The doors led to another circular room, identical to the first, except it contained a single low burning torch and a large tank of dark murky water. The glass of the tank was frosted over and inside was a still, dark silhouette of a mermaid. She was not moving. Lazar made no comment and continued walking through the room to the next door. The next room was similarly lit and chilled. Wooden crates lined the walls. Those that were open contained enormous gray eggs which looked like small, smooth boulders.

_Dragonbird eggs. Hollow no doubt…_

Lazar mumbled something about sealed crates containing painted eggs and led Van into the next room. They continued in that fashion for a while, going from one room to another in a circular pattern. Van suspected if they continued on their course, they would eventually end up in the room with the bonfire again.

Two of the rooms contained some of the strangest beasts Van had ever seen and was unable to identify them. A great lion, which could be heard roaring two rooms away, caught Van's attention. Lazar grinned smugly and launched into stories of what the beasts were and how they were caught. There was fury in the animal's eyes and dark stains on his paws and jaw. Saliva oozed from his mouth and, when Van stepped closer, his putrid breath burned Van's nostrils and tightened his lungs.

"Careful," Lazar laughed, "his bite is poisonous. And he's hungry."

The lion never took his eyes off of Van as he left the room, passing the two sentries standing guard in case the animal decided to hurt himself.

Van decided to show some of the irritation he was feeling. "I've seen all this stuff before. I thought you had something more interesting than a big cat and a dead mermaid." He didn't like being led around, letting Lazar parade his collection.

"Yes, very unfortunate about her. The cold didn't agree with her. However, as fond as I am of the _big cat_, my pride and joy lies in the next room, and I think it may be the one thing your collection requires. I have a great deal of treasures but everything I have is nothing compared to this." Lazar pulled out a key ring and unlocked the door. Before opening it, he turned to Van with a mischievous smile. "If I could keep only one, it would be her."

Van held his breath as the door gave way but nothing remarkable happened. This room was just as frigid as the others, though better lit. At the center of the circular room, two men stood next to a small, smoldering fire. Beside them was a wagon, covered in a large cloth. Lazar stepped forward, dropping his torch in the fire, along with another log, and pulled at the cloth. He whipped it to the side and let it billow to the ground.

"This is my jewel." Lazar smiled with pride.

It wasn't a wagon. It was a barred cage on wheels. Inside, sleeping in a mess of damp hay was Hitomi.

'_His jewel? Hitomi is mine!'_

Shock and anger burned through him faster than he thought it would. His fingers twitched for his sword, wanting to cut down the man in front of him and free Hitomi.

But it wasn't the Hitomi from his memory. More than a year had passed since they last saw each other but that one year was all it took for the child-like features to vanish. She was much older. Weathered and worn from the war, her face looked dead. Only her slow breathing convinced Van otherwise. In the dim light, she looked pale and sickly. The thin blanket which was on top of her didn't seem to help with the cold, but her lack of a shivering response told Van there was something wrong.

Steeling himself for what he knew he must do, Van swallowed his anger and reverted back to his role.

"She's a little hard on the eyes, don't you think?" Van retorted.

Lazar pretended to look hurt. "Give her time. She's still young, a diamond in the rough. Besides," he pulled out a key, unlocked the front panel of the cage, swinging it up and over the top. "This is what you really want to see." He ripped the blanket away and pushed Hitomi to the side. Her shirt was torn, leaving her back bare in the firelight. Lazar brushed his fingers along her spine, reaching her neck. Suddenly, he gripped hard. There was a loud crack before two beautiful wings shot out of her back. Van had to jump aside to avoid being knocked over. Lazar laughed at the shock on Van's face, thinking it was because he had almost been bowled over.

'_They can force us to show our wings!'_

This was troubling. His mother had never told him of this. Even she must not have known. It made Van wonder what other weapons these Dragon Hunters had against his kind. Still, he looked to Hitomi, expecting her to wake but she remained still. With only her back and wings towards him, Van couldn't see her face, and he wondered if she was feigning sleep.

"Not so bad on the eyes now, is she?" Lazar said, lustfully.

Van quickly composed himself and forced a smile. "No, she's beautiful."

Lazar lifted one of Hitomi's limp wings, bending and caressing it, welcoming Van to do the same. "See? She's healthy and strong. The coloring is as bright as I've ever seen, so she'll not be dieing anytime soon. Quite a find, don't you think?"

"Yes. She must not have flown recently or often to retain that color. If she wasn't flying, how did you find her?"

Lazar's eyebrows lifted. "Oh, I've been hunting this little one since she was smaller than my knee. Her family wasn't salvageable, unfortunately, but I've been keeping my eye out for this one for years. She attracted too much attention to herself, and soon enough, I found her again."

Van nodded his head, as if satisfied, but knew Lazar never answered his question. Van had peaked Lazar's interest and was now wary of him, so Van switched to safe conversation.

"What does this one call herself?" he asked while inspecting the wing joints and where they connected to her back.

"Hitomi. An unusual name, but you can change it if you'd like."

Van nodded. He moved closer, brushing his bare fingers where feathers met with cool flesh. He noticed a slight swelling and redness where Lazar had pinched her neck. He moved his hand to the same spot, feeling for a pulse. It was slow, but steady.

"She's drugged?"

"She's a fighter. She kept hurting herself so I had no choice but to drug her. Damaged goods don't sell very well."

Van's spirits lifted briefly. '_She's a fighter…'_ He lifted her arm by the elbow, and frowned at a tightly wrapped bandage around her forearm. "What's this?"

"That happened when we first caught her. It was a clean cut. There's no infection and it won't leave but a light scar. Besides that, she's in great condition. As long as she stays sedated, she won't give you any trouble."

With his back turned, Van allowed himself to scowl at the hidden meaning of his words. They were casual, like he'd said them dozens of times before. To him, Hitomi was valuable goods. Worth no more than a slave. Even less. She was a display. An object of entertainment. Van's rage continued to boil within. In that moment, he'd never felt more possessive or protective over anything in his life. The only thing that kept him from releasing his fury upon Lazar and all his men with his sword was the little common sense he still held. He was going to get Hitomi out of this hell but he could do little with her unconscious. He needed to wake her up. He needed to be alone.

With the hidden implication still lingering in the air from Lazar's last statement, Van spoke steady and calm.

"I'd like a moment to be alone with her."

He looked to Lazar and an unspoken knowledge passed between them. "That costs extra."

Van pulled a small tied sack, heavy with coins, and tossed it to him. Lazar weighed it heavily, considering it for a moment and nodded. "Twenty minutes." He closed the distance between himself and Van, reaching for Hitomi's neck again, cracking it, and her wings dissolved in a mound of feathers. He raised her bandaged arm and chained it to the bars. Van had failed to notice the other arm had already been shackled. Lazar nodded at the rings of iron, tugging at them for good measure, before turning to the door, motioning for the two sentries to follow, and bolted the door shut.

The quiet was overpowering, with only the occasional pop of wood from the fire. Van allowed himself a moment longer to bathe in his fury. He had succeeded in getting Hitomi alone, but at such a cheap price. How easily that man sold the woman he loved. He would pay with his life, Van vowed.

Van climbed into the cage, crouching on the straw bed, and gently rolled Hitomi onto her back, careful to keep her tattered shirt in place. He lifted her eyelids with his thumb and she stared back at him. He whispered her name. Nothing. He reached into the pack on his back and pulled out a tiny bundle of cloth. He removed the wrapping, revealing a gray stone. His nose wrinkled at the intense smell, remembering too late to hold his breath. He waved the stone under Hitomi's nose. The effect was immediate. Her head tossed violently to the side as she moaned.

"Hitomi? Wake up."

He waved the stone again. This time her eyes popped open, though still sleepily. She gazed around, slowly, without expression until her eyes met with Van's. She gasped and flailed. Her leg swung up and hit its mark, right at Van's groin. He reflexively curled up, barely managing to stifle a yell, before she kicked him again, sending him rolling out of the cage and landing on the floor with a thud.

As Van cringed on the ground, using up a few of his precious minutes to find his voice and the strength to stand up, he couldn't help but think, '_Why is this happening?'_ When he finally found his feet again, he coughed, making sure his voice was his own. "Hitomi, it's me. It's Van."

But she didn't hear. Hitomi had managed to seat herself, leaning against the bars, and was crushing her hands to try and squeeze them out of her shackles. Her eyes were only half open with dark rings. She was not fully conscious. Running on pure instinct, she was trying to escape, unaware of anyone or anything around her. Van recognized this immediately and cast his eyes around for his stone. It was discarded at her feet. He climbed in the cage again and grabbed the stone quickly, narrowly missing a blow to the face. With one arm, he pinned Hitomi against the bars of the cage, leaving her arms useless at her sides. With the other, he shoved the stone into her face, forcing her to breathe in the foul odor. As she became more awake, her struggling increased until he could no longer hold her with one arm. He lost his balance and fell back against the corner of the cage.

Hitomi's breath came quick and deep, relishing the clean air. Her eyes were wide awake and alert. Van spoke her name softly. She whirled on him, ready to fight, but stopped. She studied him carefully. "Van?"

He nodded. For the briefest of moments, Van thought of how much older he seemed through her eyes. Without obstruction, tears filled her eyes. In a heartbeat, he closed the distance and held her close. Hitomi's shackled hands crushed into his chest. He leaned back far enough for her to wrap them over his head and pull him closer. She kissed his face and lips, transferring her tears onto his cheeks. Her bare skin was cold and he held her all the more to give her warmth. Relief washed through him. She was safe in his arms. No longer was there hundreds of miles between them. They were together.

All too soon, he remembered he had to stop. The Dragon Hunter could walk back in at any moment. Unsure of how much could be heard from outside, Van kept his voice low.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. My neck hurts a little though. Oh, Van, I didn't think I'd ever see…"

Van interrupted and pulled away from her, securing her face with his two hands, gazing intently in her eyes. The green he saw there was the only color present on her face. She was so pale. The unnaturalness of it startled him. "Listen to me." He took a calculated breath, speaking clearly. "Did anyone touch you?" The same unspoken knowledge that passed between Van and Lazar earlier passed to Hitomi. Van almost didn't want to know the answer. "Did anyone…"

"No" she said firmly.

"Are you sure?" He wasn't ready to accept it. "They've been keeping you drugged."

"I'm sure. I think I've only been drugged for the past week or so. Before that, I'm sure I've been fine. I managed to fight them off. You're the first he's brought since they've been drugging me. If it wasn't you coming today, I don't think…I don't think I could've…"

Van silenced her with a finger and pressed his forehead to hers. She was safe. No one had touched her. Now it was time for him to make her completely safe.

"I'm getting you out of here. When Lazar comes back, I'm going to pay him what he wants and get you somewhere safe. Then I'll come back and…"

"No, Van! You must leave now. You have to get out of here."

Van shushed her, glancing back at the door. "I'm not leaving without you."

"He's going to kill you, Van! He'll kill you like he killed the others. Do you really think you're the first person he's brought to make a bid for me?"

"It doesn't matter. I'll give him what he wants and I'll take you away from here."

"Van, listen to me!" She pleaded. The sorrow in her voice sent pain through his heart. "As soon as you give Lazar the money, he's going to kill you. He has no intention of selling me to anyone other than Zaibach."

"What?"

"Zaibach knows I've been building the gliders. The fact that I'm a Draconian only ensures Lazar a bigger selling price."

"Then I'll offer more than Zaibach."

Anger flashed across her face briefly. "Do you have two-hundred million?"

Van frowned, his suppressed anger bubbling anew. He was only prepared to pay thirty thousand, more than a fair price for a Draconian. It couldn't have happened like that. His plan couldn't just be disregarded on a whim. Not over money. He wouldn't lose her to money.

"Then why is Lazar trying to sell you to me if he intends to give you to Zaibach. Maybe he's changed his mind, doesn't want to risk traveling all the way to Zaibach to…"

"He's already sold me to four other people that I know of. And each time, he took their money just before killing them. Every city he's taken me to, he's promised me to a different buyer, and each time, he kills them as soon as he has his money." Hitomi gently placed her hands on the sides of his face. The coolness of her touch chilled him. "If you give him what he wants, he'll kill you too and I'll never see you again. I don't want to lose you. I can't bear it again." She kissed him, hard and fierce, as if touching could convey a message her words could not.

But Van refused to let up. He spoke against her lips, "I'm not leaving without you. I'm getting you out of here tonight. Tonight. I will not let Lazar hand you over to Zaibach. I'll kill them all myself if I have to."

In annoyance, Hitomi beat her fists against Van's chest. "No, no, no, no…You can't fight them all by yourself and you know it! So don't you dare say it again! You will end up killed right before my eyes and I too will die once Lazar hands me over. You must stay alive if you are to rescue me." Hitomi pressed Van's open palm to her cheek. "Say to Lazar, you'll give him his money tomorrow. It's the only way he'll let you go alive. In a few days, Lazar's moving me out of here and taking me to Zaibach. If you don't get me then, you never will. It's your only chance. It's our only chance."

Van was about to protest further but in an instant, he and Hitomi froze. From the door came three loud crashes. Boom. Boom. Boom. "Two minutes," came Lazar's voice.

"I don't have much time," Van whispered, clutching Hitomi all the more.

"Trust me. Tell him you'll pay tomorrow. Get yourself out, and find me when they move me out of here."

"How can I just walk out that door and leave you with these men?"

"You can and you will."

"A lot can happen in a few days."

"I know. I will be fine as long as you find me again."

Feeling time slip quickly away, Van reluctantly removed himself from the cage, allowing Hitomi to lie down once again on the straw bed. He held her shirt together as she squirmed into a more comfortable position, unable to do so herself with her hands chained above her head. He brought the ragged blanket over and did his best to wrap it warmly around her. The air that escaped her mouth in soft, wispy clouds told him it was a futile effort.

"I'll be drugged again, so I can't help you or myself. I can't do anything." She whispered.

"I'll be back for you. I promise." Van rested his hand on her forehead.

"You'd better."

The loud click of a lock sounded before the door opened. Hitomi had already turned her head away and shut her eyes. Van's hand lingered on her forehead, brushing her cheek with his thumb.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" sneered Lazar.

"Yes." Van turned and looked him in the eye with a smile. "I'll take her."

Van made it out of the compound in one piece, promising to return the following day with thirty thousand for Hitomi. But he wouldn't return. Van would send someone else to keep an eye out for Lazar, but Van could never risk going to that town again. Instead, he would have to remain at camp with General Lark and his men and the flying watchmen. He was headed there now having put the town behind him.

Van had long since left the icy trail and diverted into the woods. The foliage was thick and largely hid his passing, though if anyone cared to look closely enough it could easily be picked up. Snow fell in clumps from the tree branches, creating oddly-shaped mounds at the trunks. It made it difficult for Van to listen for pursuers when every few seconds there was a flump of snow falling from overhead.

The wind shifted and blew directly into his face, chilling him all the more. Van brought his hands to his face and blew hot air into them. They were becoming numb. While still covering his face with one hand, Van used the other to fish out a small, straw shaped whistle and brought the cold metal to his lips. He blew long and slow, letting the sound swell like a wave. He was signaling Komali, telling him that Van didn't have Hitomi. Not far off, Van heard Komali's distinct cry. It was angry. Van shuddered at the confrontation that would soon occur.

He trudged through the snow for another half a mile before he reached camp. Van whistled in a light, quick pattern and sentries appeared from behind trees in response, permitting Van to pass.

The camp was situated near a cliff-face. There was a great ring of boulders, which may have been ruins from hundreds of years ago, strewn in all directions. It provided excellent shelter from any wandering eyes, though the unexpected snow storm was an added boon. No person was likely to hike miles into a snowy forest in search of their hunting party.

Van walked among the maze of rocks, passing by several dozen men and women huddled around small fires. Upon seeing Van, everyone rose to their feet and followed. The only persons who stayed were a few of the sentries. These were the flying watchmen. Each one of them were so connected to Hitomi, they immediately volunteered their lives to help save hers. Also present were some of General Lark's most trusted friends and loyal soldiers. Every man and woman present knew about the Draconian blood that flowed through Hitomi, Van, and even the General. It wasn't a great surprise when Van discovered this several weeks before. The General and Hitomi connected quickly that first night, over a year ago, in Fanelia, and had kept in close contact ever since. More proof of the bond between Draconians.

By the time Van found General Lark, everyone had gathered together in a circle to hear what he had to say.

"Hitomi's here. She's alive and relatively unharmed. The Dragon Hunter, Lazar, intends to sell her to Zaibach."

An angry whisper ignited the small crowd. "How did Zaibach find out about her?" someone asked. "They didn't know she was a Draconian."

"I don't know. I imagine Lazar advertised it to them. Zaibach has offered two hundred million for her."

There was a look of shock and awe on every face. Two hundred million was a lot, even for a Draconian. Someone behind Van cursed. "She's worth a hundred times that amount." Smiles appeared and many nodded in agreement.

General Lark remained composed. "Lazar is a fool if he thinks Zaibach will let him walk away with that much money."

Van nodded. "I agree, but greed seems to have affected his judgment. He's been killing off potential buyers in several cities after he's claimed payment. He was hoping to do the same with me tonight but he thinks I'm returning with money tomorrow."

The General raised an eyebrow. "How much did you agree to?"

"Thirty thousand."

"Cheap change compared to Zaibach's offer."

"Indeed. We can't buy her out of there."

The general gazed around at all the faces. "Then we'll be going in after her ourselves."

Van shook his head. "He'll come to us."

**AN: I know that was shorter compared to my other chapters, but it's all I have right now. But the next chapter WILL BE THE FINAL CHAPTER!!!! So stay tuned! Also, I just realized that at some point, I stopped using the thingys to separate sections. When I type it, there is a gap, but once I upload, the gap disappears and it looks like a run-on from your point of view. I apologize for not noticing earlier, but now I've got the different sections separated by my dividers. I honestly don't know how long it will take me to finish, but I promise I WILL!!! The end is coming!!! SOON!!!!!!!!!!**

**Thank you again to all you faithful readers who have been here since the beginning, and also to those reading for the first time. I have had so much fun with this story, and I'm glad to share that with you all. Once this is finished, I'm considering starting a new fic called "The Triad." It will be Action/Drama, kind of like Second Atlantis Machine. It will have the same characters, same setting, but different events will occur, and I'm tweaking the characters a bit. But hey, who doesn't? So, that's a possibility in the future…again, I haven't officially decided to pursue it.**

**Until next time!**

**Ja!**

_**Yugismpuzzle**_


	14. Resolution

**AN: This is the end…Hope you all like it! I'll save my comments for the end…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne…in fact; he doesn't even make an appearance in this story…LOL**

**Chapter Fourteen: Resolution**

Days passed in bitter coldness when one of General Lark's spies returned with information everyone had been eagerly waiting to hear. Lazar was leaving for Zaibach with Hitomi. They had departed from the village at midnight with thirty men and several large covered wagons. A spy was following Lazar's trail from a distance, informing the General of Lazar's movements.

Lazar's caravan had four horse drawn wagons, all covered and identical in size and shape, twelve men on horseback, and eighteen armed footmen. General Lark's force was equal in number of men; however, they possessed no horses, putting them at a severe disadvantage. At this, Van volunteered a plan involving Komali's skills. Everyone was wary of the Dragonbird, having viewed him only once and very briefly. The General had insisted on the trustworthiness of his men and the fact that Komali allowed himself to be seen by the company greatly increased Van's confidence in exposing his own secret. Eventually, the General and Van constructed a plan which seemed well enough to ensure their success.

Komali would be charged with scaring away the fighters on horseback and finding the carriage which contained Hitomi. During the confusion of frightened horses running away, the General and his soldiers would attack from the trees. Van would ride upon the Dragonbird's back and ensure that Hitomi escapes with Komali. Once Hitomi was safely away, Van would fly away from the battle, luring as many of the Hunters as possible. Van would keep up the chase until Komali returned to take Van from the sky, without allowing the Hunters to see. By the time the Hunters realize their pray had vanished, the battle at the caravan would long be over.

The plan was agreed upon by all, and now everyone lay in wait for Lazar's caravan to move into position. Van circled the area with Komali, waiting until it was time…

* * *

The caravan followed a small, rarely used snow covered trail, with thick woods on either side. The snow had stopped falling an hour before but the wagons were having difficulty in the newly fallen snow. Everyone was cold and kept thier cloaks tightly wrapped around thier bodies... 

There came a shrill cry from above, so sharp and fierce that it pierced every heart with a moment of fear. A terrible shadow shot from the sky and crushed the middle wagon with its impact. All the horses screamed in terror and bolted, dragging their burden's with them. The two horses tethered to the mangled cart broke free of their restraints and fled into the night. Some of Lazar's company managed to subdue their mounts and return to the party which traveled on foot, but by the time they returned, dozens of smaller shadows detached themselves from the forest and swamped over the caravan, engaging the surprised men in sudden combat.

Lazar drew his sword and spurred his horse into action. "IT'S AN AMBUSH!!! STAND YOUR GROUND!!! PROTECT THE CARGO!!!" Lazar first raced to the destroyed cart, lifting the covering to check inside. There was nothing. Cursing aloud, he scanned the skies and spotted a pair of white wings fleeing towards the east. He tried to call all his men into action to follow, but the confusion of the battle drowned out most of his words. Instead, he gathered the three men who were still on horseback, ordering one to remain behind to coordinate the battle while the other two would join Lazar to recapture the Draconian. The orders were followed swiftly as the three Hunters raced east, into the forest.

Lazar lead the chase for over a mile before they spotted the white wings again, flashing brilliantly in between trees. The Hunters followed madly, weaving in and out of trees and crashing through mounds of snow, laughing and jeering. Air escaped their mouth in great wispy clouds. Their mounts exhausted themselves quickly but they were driven on with each new glimpse of the white wings. Suddenly the trees ended and the Draconian was in plain sight. Realizing the danger, the wings beat even more furiously to gain altitude, but Lazar was determined not to lose this chance. Ordering his fellow Hunters to follow his example, Lazar pulled his bow from behind him and secured an arrow. As one, three blades shot into the sky. One missed. Another grazed the Draconian's shirt, turning it red. The third buried itself in the left wing. Lazar cursed at such bad luck but rejoiced as the Draconian fell from the sky into a mound of snow

The three Hunters celebrated aloud as they stopped their chase and dismounted. Laughing, they all gathered lengths of rope and approached the fallen demon. With a sudden gust of wind, a wave of feathers flew past.

"She's not going anywhere!" Lazar said with mirth but froze when he heard the unsheathing of a blade. All three Hunters halted their approach and drew their own swords as an armed figure rose from the grounds, revealing dark hair and eyes wild with anger. Lazar gasped in recognition.

"Ren?"

"My name is not Ren. It is Van Fanel."

"Fanel? You are a son of Fanelia? Ha! You are very foolish indeed if you think you can steal my Draconian away. Once I reclaim the girl, I'll have two Draconians! And I think many countries would be willing to pay a good deal of money to learn that the Fanelian royal family is tainted with Draconian blood. Now be a good little boy and put the sword down. I have another little bird to catch."

Van held his sword before him, ready to strike. "Hitomi is safe now. And for what you have done, you will not live to see the sun rise."

"Stupid child…"

Van struck at the nearest Hunter who was waiting for him. They exchanged several quick blows before Van shoved the man off balance with his shoulder. Before Van could strike the man down, the other Hunter engaged him. Though the two Hunters were less skilled with the sword, Van was kept busy trying to fight them both off, never able to escape long enough to fight Lazar. Meanwhile, Lazar stood back, pulling two small items from his pack; a tube and a poisoned dart. He took his time, knowing the Hunters knew better than to mortally wound such a valuable find. When he was ready, Lazar put the tube to his lips and waited for an opening.

Just as he was about to let the dart fly, a scream from above, identical to the one he had heard earlier, froze his actions. He turned and looked up in time to see the fury of Hell raging down upon him in the form of a great eagle…

* * *

Van rode upon Komali's back all the way to camp. As they spiraled down to a clearing, a figure separated from the fires and jogged towards the landing Dragonbird. 

"There you are! For a moment we thought you were lost. Are you injured?"

"It takes more than that to get rid of me, General Lark." Van smiled gratefully at the Dragonbird before Komali leapt up and returned to the sky, leaving Van and the General alone. Together, they walked back into the camp and the welcoming firelight.

"I'm assuming Lazar was one of the three hunters that followed after you."

"Yes. Komali killed them."

General Lark failed to suppress a shiver. "Never upset a Dragonbird."

Van solemnly agreed and tried to shove away his witness of Komali's fury unleashed against the three Hunters. The General continued on.

"Ten of the Hunters are dead. Seven surrendered during the fight. The rest fled before the battle even began. The Hunters we captured are bound over there and will be taken back to Daken to be judged."

Smiling faces and strong handshakes greeted Van. Many wore slings and bandages. Several were already asleep beside fires. "How many did we lose?"

The General raised his chin. "None."

Van stopped. "None? How is that possible? We didn't lose a single person?"

"I brought the very best of my fighters. They would be shamed to allow themselves to be killed! Everyone received wounds, of course, and a few people fainted due to loss of blood, but no lives were lost on our side. Fortune smiles down upon us tonight. Besides, Hitomi would not want blood to be shed on her behalf. This will be of great comfort." General Lark pointed ahead. "She is waiting for you over there."

Van held out his hand to the General who took it firmly. "Thank you for all you've done."

"You are very welcome, Lord Van."

* * *

Hitomi sat silhouetted against the fire with a blanket wrapped around her. With a stick, she absentmindedly poked the burning logs, sending sparks into the air. Minutes passed and Van remained where he stood, a mere arms length behind her. 

Almost a year and a half had passed since they last saw each other, except for that night a few days ago. An eternity it seemed when their only means of connection were letters which took several weeks to receive. Now, she sat before him, peaceful, serene, and within reach. Van made a silent vow to never leave her, to never allow them to be separated, and to always protect her. They would be together forever.

When he was ready, he whispered her name aloud. Hitomi leapt up, as if stung, and whirled around, dropping the blanket on the ground. But she spun too fast and fell down again. Van laughed. He could protect her from enemies, but not from her own clumsiness! She looked up at him, eyes swimming in shock, joy, and amusement. He sat down upon his knees, took both her hands in his, and kissed them.

"I promised I'd come back for you."

* * *

The next morning, as the camp made ready to disembark, Van noticed Hitomi growing anxious, but he said nothing. Later, when Van was going to get something for them to eat, Hitomi refused to release his arm. 

"Don't leave." She mumbled.

"I'm just getting some food…"

"I'm not hungry. Just sit with me, please. Just a little longer."

"Hitomi, what's wrong?"

She hesitated before answering. "Everyone's getting ready to leave. It's too fast. Everything's happening too fast. We're finally together again and I'm not ready to say goodbye. I know you're not going to Daken…"

Van relaxed, realizing where her worries were comming from. Before, Van wasn't allowed to go to Daken, and with everyone preparing to return there, Hitomi thought Van was leaving too. "Is that what's bothering you? Hitomi, we're not going to Daken."

"But I heard General Lark say…"

"I hear someone talking about me." The General appeared from behind. Van and Hitomi stood together. "We're ready to go, Lord Van. It's time we headed home." He shook hands with Van one last time. "It has been a pleasure. If you ever have need of a friend, call on me."

"Thank you. Good luck."

The General turned to Hitomi. "My Lady, I have been honored to fight for you and beside you. You have done more for my country than you can ever know. You have my sincere thanks."

"I'm not going with you?"

"No, you're staying here. Didn't Van tell you?"

"But, I thought...what about the Watchmen?"

"The Flying Watchmen have been doing just fine, and they will continue to do so. It is all because of you, Lady Hitomi. You've taught them well. Your job is finished." He gave her a moment to let his words sink in, and when she seemed to accept them, General Lark bowed. "Take care of yourself, Lady Hitomi."

Hitomi threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Same goes for you." The General looked over at Van, a question in his eyes, but he received only a shrug.

When everyone in the company said their goodbyes and finally set off, Hitomi let out a great sigh.

"I can't believe…just like that, it's all over."

Van felt a great gust of wind as Komali landed heavily behind them.

"It's time we left too." Van took Hitomi's hand in his own.

"Van, where are _we_ going?"

He looked over his shoulder with a smile. "We are going home. Together."

* * *

There was a great celebration in Fanelia when Van returned from his journeyings abroad, though the arrival of Hitomi was celebrated only by those few who knew of her capture. No one seemed to notice that their prince appeared in the middle of the night without alerting anyone until it was formally announced by the royal family. A few recognized Hitomi as the "glider girl" from many months before and whispers about the girl spread like wildfire. Wherever Van was, she was not far behind. People wondered who she was. Where did she come from? There were only a couple of people who could say with some surety where she was from, but even they could not account for her whereabouts in the past year. A great deal of the girl's identity was shrouded in mystery. This was, of course, for her protection. Zaibach still didn't know the name of the person who aided Daken in building the gliders, and both Daken and Fanelia were determined to keep it that way. 

Hitomi decided that her grandmother's house was too big for her to live there alone anymore, so she sold it and the barn shed, after removing all evidence of her glider being built there, and moved into the palace. Van had been insisting that she live in the palace and she agreed on the condition that her room had to be near the staircase that lead to the roof, so Komali could have easy access.

A few months later, all of Fanelia celebrated the marriage between Folken and Princess Naria of a country across the eastern mountains. Three couples began the grand ball with a waltz; Folken and his new bride, King Goau and Queen Varie, Van and Hitomi. Seeing this last couple together made most believe that Van felt romantic towards the girl. Upon seeing a private moment between the two of them on the balcony later that night only solidified previous beliefs into fact.

…

One day, a letter arrived for King Goau from Daken, informing Fanelia that Zaibach had agreed to accept Daken as a separate and free country and would cease hostilities against them. Goau read the letter aloud to Varie, Folken, and Van. His wife and eldest son had been playing a game while Van stood and watched when Goau announced the good news.

Varie was the first to speak. "Hitomi will want to hear this. She'll be so happy."

Folken nodded in agreement. "Van, go get your wife and bring her here."

Van's face warmed. "Sh-She's not my wife!"

"Yes she is." Folken said without missing a beat.

"Well I don't remember getting married!"

"Sure you do, it was almost two years ago, but surely your memory isn't that bad."

"Folken, stop playing games with your brother." Varie lightly chastised. Still, she carried a smile that filled Van with caution.

"What's going on?"

Folken turned from his game to face his brother. "Two years ago, you took Hitomi to the cliff overlooking the Dragon Lands, remember?"

"Yes, I remem-"

"And you two exchanged feathers, right?" Folken continued his game by moving a piece on the board backwards. "She has one of your feathers and you have one of hers."

"Yes…"

Varie retaliated, ignoring Folken's words, and shifted one of her own pieces.

"Exchanging feathers is a traditional Draconian wedding ceremony. Instead of exchanging rings, you exchange feathers. Though it may not be recognized by our allies, you and Hitomi have been married for two years now."

Van looked from his brother to his mother and back again. Both were avoiding his gaze, but smiling to themselves as they continued their game. Folken moved one piece forward, declared victory against Varie, and walked towards Van. He gripped his shoulder tightly before passing by.

"Congratulations."

_THE END…_

**AN: HA HA!!!! I like that last part! It's my favorite!!!! Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Though, I must admit, I think the rest of the chapter was a bit choppy, but I just needed to end this story quickly!!! I've made you all wait long enough, I think. But I will miss Komali! I drew a picture of him I'm rather fond of, so I'm sad to not be able to write about him anymore. **

**Thank you to all my fans who've been reading this story since the beginning. I've greatly enjoyed this story and sharing it with all of you. thanks for your reviews and chastisements when I take to long to post! LOL…there's nothing so wonderful to hear of an attempt on my life if I don't post a chapter quickly!!!!**

**So, as this story comes to a close, I will tell all of you that I'm already working on another story, and I'm hoping to start, AND FINISH it this summer! I don't intend for this story to last for years, because once school starts again, I won't have time to write. So, if you're interested, keep an eye out for a story called "The Triad." It will be similar themed to my other story, "The Second Atlantis Machine" but much better. Gosh, I wrote that story so long ago, I'm ashamed to read the first half of that story. I love the second half though! It's still fun to read!!**

**Okay, I'm ranting now…If you've never reviewed for this story before, please do so now that it's over, and tell me what you've thought about the story, or any improvements I could make (besides the obvious choppiness…_gomen_). **

**Thank you Everyone!!!!**

**_Yugismpuzzle_**

**_My son, Harry is graduating in two weeks!!!! Love you!!!!! See you this Saturday!!!!! I'll be taking lots of pictures…_**


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